Bulldogs take series opener at Auburn
The following is courtesy of Mississippi State media relations:
AUBURN, Ala. – It was a wild back-and-forth contest on Friday night at Plainsman Park as the No. 4 Mississippi State baseball program collected its fourth one-run victory on the season in a 6-5 win at Auburn on Friday (April 9).
Mississippi State (22-7, 6-4 SEC) took an early 1-0 lead, before a pair of Auburn (12-14, 1-9 SEC) runs in the fourth inning gave the home team the edge. Three MSU runs in the fifth and one in the top of the seventh made it a three-run game, 5-2, before three MSU relievers allowed three runs on two hits as the Tigers evened things up in the bottom of the frame.
A misplayed popup and wild pitch gave State the lead back in the eighth inning, before Landon Sims retired the final six batters to close out his third save of the season.
Christian MacLeod (3-2) went six innings and allowed just two runs on five hits. The left-hander didn’t factor into the decision and struck out six to just two walks in his eighth start of the season. His 102 pitches in the series opener are a career high.
In the seventh, three Bulldog pitchers surrendered the three runs - two earned - before Brandon Smith (4-1) could get out of the inning. Sims (3) then bookended four straight strikeouts with a couple of fly-ball outs to wrap up MSU’s sixth series-opening win of 2021.
Mississippi State hit back-to-back home runs for the third time this season when Tanner Allen and Kamren James went deep in consecutive at bats in the fifth inning. In the game, Allen led the way with a pair of extra-base hits and three RBIs, while Rowdey Jordan moved his hitting streak to eight games and reached base streak to 14 games with a 2-for-4 night at the plate, including one walk and two runs scored.
James was on base three times, as well, with two hits and one walk and Tanner Leggett’s one hit was the eighth-inning double that led to the eventual game-winning run.
Auburn starting pitcher Cody Greenhill (3-0) exited after six innings, as well, and allowed four runs - two earned - on five hits. Carson Skipper (0-1) allowed one run on just one hit and one wild pitch in the loss. Two of Auburn’s five hits were home runs and two of the Tigers four walks came around to score.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On the eighth inning infield double
CL: Tanner Leggett gives us a great at bat with one out in the [eighth] inning. Even though he hit a pop up, he competed, fought to put a ball in play and is running as hard as he can. He gets to second base and [it later] rewarded us with a run [on the wild pitch].
On Christian MacLeod
CL: I thought [Christian MacLeod] was really good. He left a couple of balls in the middle of the plate and they hit them. Besides that, he was really good, and he had the breaking ball going.
Scoring Recap
Top Second
Logan Tanner walked after a nine-pitch at bat and Josh Hatcher reached on a fielder’s choice in which Tanner was safe at second base after a throwing error by the catcher on the bunt. AfterTanner Leggett advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Brayland Skinner was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Rowdey Jordan walked to push across the first RBI of the game.
Mississippi State 1, Auburn 0
Bottom Fourth
Rankin Woley homered to left field and, three batters later, Bryson Ware hit a solo home run to left-center.
Mississippi State 1, Auburn 2
Top Fifth
Jordan reached on a throwing error by the pitcher and Tanner Allen followed with a two-run home run Kamren James then went back-to-back over the left-field wall.
Mississippi State 4, Auburn 2
Top Seventh
Jordan led off the inning with a first-pitch double and Allen drove him in with a double to right-center in the next at-bat.
Mississippi State 5, Auburn 2
Bottom Seventh
Kason Howell and Ryan Dyal started the inning with back-to-back walks and Judd Ward singled to load the bases. Three batters later, Tyler Miller singled to right center to drive in two RBI’s and Brody Moore reached on a throwing error to score Ward and even things up at five.
Mississippi State 5, Auburn 5
Top Eighth
Leggett doubled after a nine pitch at-bat ona ball lost in the lights by the Auburn infield. Skinner’s ground out moved the runner to third base with one out. Leggett then scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
Mississippi State 6, Auburn 5
Up Next
No. 4 Mississippi State and Auburn will play the second game in the three-game series at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 inside Plainsman Park.
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