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MSU RELEASE MSU Drops Tallahassee Regional Opener

Vernon

Legend
Gold Member
May 29, 2001
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Beyond the Sun
bulldogblitz.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Mississippi State belted four home runs in its Tallahassee Regional opener Friday afternoon against Oklahoma.


Unfortunately, the Bulldogs could not hold the Sooners’ offense in check from the mound.


Oklahoma pounded out 22 hits and scored nine times in the seventh inning to take a 20-10 win over MSU at Dick Howser Stadium.


The Bulldogs slip into the elimination bracket at the four-team, double-elimination event. MSU will face either Florida State or Samford at 11 a.m. CT Saturday.


MSU will now need four wins to capture a regional tournament title for a third straight season.


Against Oklahoma, MSU (31-26) erased an early 5-0 deficit and built a 10-7 lead after six innings.


The Sooners (37-23) responded with the nine-run seventh-inning and added four more scores in the ninth inning.


A 12-hit attack for the Bulldogs included three hits from both Rowdey Jordan and Elijah MacNamee. Dustin Skelton added two hits.


Jordan, MacNamee, Skelton and Tanner Allen each hit home runs as MSU hit four total for the first time since a 10-6 win over Kentucky on April 8, 2017.


In the second inning, MSU started battling back from its 5-0 deficit on a two-run home run by Skelton.


In the third inning, the Bulldogs scored three times to pull even. Allen and Hunter Stovall each drew walks. MacNamee followed with an RBI-double and Skelton brought a pair home with a single.


The Bulldogs fell down 7-5 in the fourth inning before scoring four more runs in their half of the inning.


Jake Mangum singled and Jordan hit his home run, a two-run shot, to tie the game. After a hit by Stovall, MacNamee homered to put the Maroon and White on top 9-7.


A sixth-inning solo home run by Allen would be the last score for the Bulldogs.


Eight MSU pitchers combined to allow 19 earned runs. Ten walks, three hit batsmen and three errors did not help the cause.


Konnor Pilkington drew the start before being lifted with one out in the fourth inning. Pilkington allowed six hits and six runs (five earned). Keegan James, JP France, Cole Gordon, Blake Smith, Zach Neff, Jared Liebelt and Riley Self also pitched for the Bulldogs.


France (4-5) worked 1.1 innings and took the loss.


NEXT UP FOR MSU

State will now turn its attention to an elimination game on Saturday against the loser of Friday night’s game between Florida State and Samford. First pitch on Saturday is set for 11 a.m. CT.


REGIONAL SCHEDULE (All times CT)
Friday, June 1, 2018G1 – No. 3 Oklahoma 20, No. 2 Mississippi State 10
G2 - 6 p.m. – No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 Samford (ESPNU)

Saturday, June 2, 2018
G3 – 11 a.m. – Mississippi State vs. Loser of G2
G4 - 4 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Winner of G2

Sunday, June 3, 2018
G5 - 11 a.m. - Winner of G3 vs. Loser of G4
G6 - 5 p.m. - Winner of G4 vs. Winner of G5

Monday, June 4, 2018
* G7 - Noon - If Necessary

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