Diamond Dawgs salvage one game in series with 14-8 win over Florida

A rough weekend got at least one salvageable day for Mississippi State on Sunday.

After losing the first two ball games due, in large part, to the Diamond Dawg bullpen, MSU nearly had another go that direction in game three. A five-run advantage got down to a run in the eighth inning but State poured on five runs in the bottom of the frame to make sure to leave no doubt in a 14-8 victory.

A two-run home run off of Ben Davis and a solo shot off of Nate Williams cut a 9-5 lead down to one run. State would come back in the bottom of the eighth and get a solo homer from Gehrig Frei to lead off the inning and then a two-run single from Bryce Chance and two-run double from Gatlin Sanders with two outs for the 14-8 lead.

Prior to that bases loaded hit from Chance, the Bulldogs were an incredible 2-for-11 on the weekend with the bases juiced. Compared to Florida’s 2-for-3 series, it spoke of missed opportunities during the three-game set.

State’s biggest issue on the weekend was the bullpen, however. MSU blew a two-run lead in the middle innings on Friday night when Stone Simmons surrendered six runs with six outs. Saturday also brought five runs without an out recorded when Nate Williams entered the game in the sixth and State lost a three-run advantage.

The Bulldog bullpen was much better on Sunday. After Karson Ligon gutted through 5.0 innings with eight hits, five runs and two walks, Ben Davis, Williams and Simmons combined to pitch the final 4.0 innings with four hits, three runs, two walks and three strikeouts.

State’s bullpen surrendered a total of 22 hits and 23 runs on the weekend. The pitching staff had its worst series of the year by far with the Bulldogs giving up at least eight runs in every game.

The MSU offense refusing to lose would make sure the pitching couldn’t beat it. State fell behind 2-0 in the first inning and then Ace Reese followed with a two-run home run. In the third inning, MSU put up five runs and had a run in each of the next two frames to build the advantage to 9-5. It stayed there until the eighth when the Gators tried to rally.

It was a 16-hit contest for the Bulldog hitters with Reese delivering a 4-for-5 afternoon with two RBI, a home run and three runs scored. Frei was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two solo home runs as he hit three homers on the weekend.

Bryce Chance got back in the starting lineup on Sunday and came through with a 2-for-3 day and three RBI. Joe Powell was 2-for-5 with a three-run home run while Gatlin Sanders drove in two runs on a double in the eighth inning.

Although the Bulldogs won on Sunday, State still lost a series it desperately needed. State (24-16, 6-12 SEC) continues to be behind the eight ball for a postseason berth and it will take success in every weekend the rest of the way to get there.

This week is another big week for the Bulldogs with a midweek game against rival Ole Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl. MSU will head to No. 8 Auburn for a three-game set on Friday.

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