Mistakes Cost Mississippi State Baseball their Winning Streak
The Mississippi State Bulldogs drop their first game in Biloxi 6-5 to South Alabama. MSU came into the game with a nine-game winning streak, but old problems again rooted for the Bulldogs.
Bradley Loftin drew the start for MSU, and he is a talented pitcher, and the Bulldogs desperately need him to find his groove to provide some innings for them. Tonight, the southpaw dazzled as he threw three scoreless innings and struck out six.
It was a scoreless game until the fourth inning when the Bulldogs broke through with five runs. Amani Larry started the big inning by crushing a three-run home run over the left-field wall, and the reigning SEC player of the week, Dakota Jordan, continued his hot streak by hitting a two-run home run.
Jordan and the Jaguar third baseman were jawing at each other as the Canton native was rounding the bases. The South Alabama manager did not like it and stormed out of the dugout to scream at the umpire, and he was ultimately tossed from the game.
Often, getting thrown out of a game is used to fire up your team, and if that was the plan, it worked. South Alabama quickly put up a crooked number of its own in the top of the fifth.
USA got the first two runners on in the inning, and an RBI double put their first run on the board. With runners on second and third with no outs, the task was tall for MSU pitcher Luke Dotson, who got two outs without either running advancing.
However, a shallow pop-up that could have ended the inning fell in between Cupp and Bryce Chance to bring home two more Jaguar runs. This error cost the Bulldogs deeply, and it would not be the last.
Cam Schuelke took over on the mound for MSU in the seventh and issued a pair of walks. Tyler Davis was then brought in with a runner on first and second with two outs, and the southpaw got a weak ground ball that went under the glove of Mershon, which was another gift run to the Jaguars.
Mississippi State seemed like they were going to hold on as they went to their close Brooks Auger, who had not allowed a run all season, to close it out. Auger started off strong with a flyball out on the first pitch, but he allowed a single and then issued a walk, and once again, South Alabama took advantage of their mistakes with a two-RBI double to take the lead.
Auger struck out the next two batters to end the inning. The bottom of the inning started well for MSU as Cupp reached on an infield single, and after two quick outs, the stage was set for Jordan to be the hero.
However, the Jaguars would not let Jordan beat them, as they intentionally walked him to get to Hunter Hines. Hines, who has struggled to start the year, had a chance to be the hero, but the junior rolled over a pitch to the first baseman to end the game.
This is a gut shot for MSU, as they finally gained some momentum after an awful start to the season. Now, they have their fifth non-conference loss.
Mississippi State desperately needed to keep their winning streak alive with LSU coming to Dudy Noble Field this weekend, but they could not. The Bulldogs will be back in action tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ against New Orleans.
