STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State saw its season-opening 13-game win streak snapped with a 3-2 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on a rain-soaked Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.
Andre Davis drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the top of the eighth inning. A double play ball got the Bulldogs out of the inning but the damage was done.
UAPB (4-6) scored twice off MSU starter Jesse McCord in the top of the first inning. Rashawn Tillman led off with a single, followed by Westin Hinkel reaching as a hit batsman. After a groundout, Vladimir Gomez followed with a two-run single.
MSU (13-1) answered with two runs in the fourth inning. Wes Rea reached as a hit batsman. After a strikeout, Josh Lovelady reached on a fielder’s choice. John Holland followed with a single. Seth Heck had an RBI-single, while Jake Vickerson reached on an RBI-groundout.
Ryan Gridley and Jacob Robson started the fifth inning with back-to-back singles. A double play worked the Golden Lions out of that inning.
From there, things were difficult for the Bulldogs. After a 50-minute rain delay in the sixth inning, the Bulldogs managed two base runners the rest of the way – a sixth-inning single by Seth Heck and ninth-inning single by Reid Humphreys.
McCord worked 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and two runs (both earned). Daniel Brown followed with career-best four innings of shutout relief. Zac Houston then pitched, before giving way to Ross Mitchell (3-1) who took the loss. Trevor Fitts recorded the final five outs, including issuing the bases-loaded walk.
MSU finished with six hits. Heck had two hits to lead the Bulldogs.
UAPB finished with six hits. Tillman had two hits for the Golden Lions.
Andre Davis (1-0) pitched the final four innings to earn the win. Davis allowed two hits and struck out two while facing two batters above the minimum.
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