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Mississippi State Baseball Drops Game 1 to LSU After Ninth-Inning Collapse

The Diamond Dawgs gave up four runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to hand the Tigers the 5-2 Game 1 victory.

After shutting down LSU for eight innings, Mississippi State gave up four runs to the Tigers with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and ultimately lost the game by a score of 5-2.

Starting pitcher Preston Johnson had an outstanding day on the mound and gave up just one run on two hits with four walks and 10 strikeouts. KC Hunt pitched well in relief and posted two strikeouts and one walk. At the plate, Lane Forsythe went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. Luke Hancock tallied the only two RBI of the night and went 1-for-3 with one walk. Logan Tanner and Brad Cumbest each went 2-for-4 at the plate. 

LSU threatened in the top of the first inning, but Mississippi State managed to get out of it thanks to a huge double play. Johnson followed it up by striking out the side in the second inning.

The Diamond Dawgs reached base in the bottom of the second inning off of two hits by Tanner and Cumbest, but neither was able to score.

The first run of the game for either team was finally scored in the top of the fourth inning. The Tigers took advantage of two consecutive walks to start the frame and drove in one run on a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. Although the Bulldogs threatened with runners on base at the bottom of the inning, they simply couldn't get a big hit to drive anyone home.

Mississippi State struck back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Forsythe singled to take base then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kamren James had a single of his own and reached second on a fielder's choice to put two Diamond Dawgs on base with only one out. Hancock drove in both runs with a single to make the score 2-1.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bulldogs threatened once again. RJ Yeager and Forsythe both made it into scoring position with no outs. A strikeout by Drew McGowan put the first out on the board. James reached on a fielder's choice in his at-bat, but Yeager was thrown out running home. Tanner struck out to end the inning and the score remained 2-1. Head coach Chris Lemonis said he was more frustrated with having the runners on base with no outs than the strikeout. 

"The problem is when you have no outs and second and third," Lemonis said. "You need to just put a ball in play to get a run, and we don't put a run in."

After a quick eighth inning, Jackson Fristoe was brought into the game to start the ninth. He got the first two outs relatively easily, then fell apart completely. A walked batter followed by a hit batter put two runners on first and second with two outs. They each advanced on a wild pitch, then Tre' Morgan drove them both in to take the 3-2 lead. Brooks Auger was brought in to close things out but gave up a two-run home run before escaping the inning. The Bulldogs gave up four runs on their final out and couldn't produce at the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Despite the game's turnout, Johnson said that everyone on the team believes they can bounce back.

"You know, I think the coaches and everybody in the locker room have 100 percent confidence that they come up tomorrow and shut it down," Johnson said.

Mississippi State will face off against LSU again tomorrow in an attempt to even the series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT.