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Cowbell Corner

Back-and-Forth Battle Turns Late as LSU Downs Mississippi State

Mississippi State claimed the series but fell short of a sweep as LSU delivered the decisive blow late in a 5-3 finale win.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs during Game 2 between the LSU Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State Bulldogs during Game 2 between the LSU Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State walked into Sunday with a chance to finish off its first sweep of the season.

Instead, the Bulldogs watched a tight game tilt the other way in the late innings as No. 20 LSU grabbed a 5-3 win and slipped out of Starkville with the finale.

 "I think we saw a lot of good things, a lot that we'd really been intentional about the last few weeks at practice and hasn't turned out our way in the games," Bulldogs’ coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think if we can continue to commit to staying hungry and attacking the way we do each and every day, we're going to continue to see a lot of good things happen for this program. I think we're definitely on the right track. We have a lot of faith in our pitching staff, what we've got in the circle, and our offense. We have to stay hungry.  You can't get complacent. We can't just settle after two wins. We want three. Credit to them, they're a great team and they're going to take advantage when we have some mistakes out there, and it's always going to be a battle in this conference."

LSU jumped ahead early with a two-run homer in the first, but Mississippi State answered right back.

Morgan Stiles opened the bottom half with a double, and Nadia Barbary didn’t waste any time tying things up with a two-run shot to center.

It was her 12th of the year, which gives her a new single-season career high and moves her to seventh in program history with 31.

The Tigers nudged back in front in the third, though Mississippi State kept the damage to a single run thanks to Morgan Bernardini throwing out a runner at the plate.

That play kept the Bulldogs within striking distance, and they finally pulled even again in the fifth. Xiane Romero singled, Gretta Grassel came off the bench with a double, and Kinley Keller brought Romero home with a ground out.

From there, it felt like the next big swing would decide it. LSU got it in the sixth on a two-run homer after an infield single and a sacrifice bunt set the table. Mississippi State never found the counterpunch.

Even with the loss, the weekend had plenty of bright spots. Romero hit .500 in the series and scored three times.

Paige Ernstes kept her bat hot with a hit in every game and two home runs across the weekend. Grassel delivered twice as a pinch hitter, including a double Sunday that nearly sparked another comeback. Stiles quietly stretched her hitting streak to four games.

Mississippi State leaves the weekend with a series win but also a reminder of how thin the margins can be in late April.

The Bulldogs head to Oxford next, closing the regular season with a Thursday through Sunday set at Ole Miss.

The finale will air nationally on SEC Network, and with the postseason around the corner, every inning matters a little more now.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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