The Mississippi State Bulldogs suffered a tough weekend, being swept by the Southeastern Louisiana Lions in a three-game series.
The Dawgs dropped a heart-breaker on Friday 4-1, giving MSU their first loss of the season. With the game tied 1-1, SLU scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the first game of the series. Both squads were evenly matched in a pitcher’s duel as SLU sent Tyler Watkins to face off with State’s sophomore left-hander Nick Routt. In the top of the ninth, SLU began their rally with two hit batters followed by a walk. Back-to-back singles allowed three runs to be scored, and that offensive outburst was too much for the Dawgs to overcome. State’s lone run came when Jonathan Ogden singled in the eighth inning and later scored on a wild pitch.
Head coach John Cohen said he was disappointed in the Bulldog bats.
“We were very poor offensively tonight and that is my fault,” he said. “All we had to do was be patient and wait on strikes. Our at-bats were very dismal.”
The lack of offensive execution ruined Routt’s stellar performance, as he battled eight strong innings giving up six hits and one run, a solo home run from Cody Gougler in the second inning, while striking out six. Caleb Reed was tabbed with the loss while only facing one batter – a leadoff hit batsman which scored the go-ahead run.
Routt was disappointed in the loss but said he thought he threw well.
“I was able to get to both sides of the plate with my fastball and my changeup was there,” Routt said. “We changed a few things with my delivery, but I hadn’t taken anything off.”
Game two proved to be a tough day on the field as the Dawgs committed five errors in an 8-5 loss Saturday afternoon. SLU took an early 2-1 lead before MSU scored a pair of runs to go ahead 3-2 after two innings. The Lions claimed it back in the top of the third by plating three runs to make it 5-3. SLU scored one-run innings in the fifth, sixth and ninth to create an 8-3 lead with MSU down to its last three outs.
Cohen’s club got two runners across the plate, but it was all the Dogs could muster as SLU claimed the series. Of the eight Lion-runs scored, only four were earned. The Dawgs also missed on timely hitting as they grounded into double plays twice with two men on and none out, the second double play coming in the bottom of the ninth. MSU finished with 11 hits and Luke Adkins had his third three-hit game of the season.
Adkins said the inability to play a complete game has Cohen questioning his team.
“I think he’s questioning our intensity level at this point and just trying to motivate us to get going,” he said. “We still have yet to put together a complete nine innings so far.”
The Bulldogs’ effort to salvage the series fell short in another heart-breaking loss on Sunday 6-5 as SLU’s late scoring claimed game three. The Lions pounded out 15 hits and drained the Bulldogs late in the game. MSU struck the scoreboard first on Russ Sneed’s two-run home run, his first of the year. SLU was quick to answer and took the lead with three runs of their own before Connor Powers launched his fourth home run of the year – a two-run homer to make it 4-3 after three innings. The Bulldogs stretched it to 5-3 in the fourth inning on Jonathan Ogden’s RBI single which scored Sam Frost. However, it was the final run to cross the plate for the Maroon and White for the series. Down 5-4 in the top of the eighth inning with two runners on, Jeff Harkensee hit an RBI single to tie the game. Two batters later with the bases loaded, Trey Martin broke for home on third base as a pitch from Ben Bracewell was not in time, and Martin stole home to give the Lions a 6-5 lead.
The Dawgs threatened in the ninth as Ogden began with a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt from Adkins moved him to second. Sneed then reached base and moved Ogden to third. Pinch runner Jaron Shephard advanced to second on a passed ball. However, a Powers strike out and Ryan Duffy ground out ended the threat and the series.
“We had two seniors in a row there at the end,” Cohen said. “Those at-bats are four years in the making. It’s what you dream of. I feel horrible for the two of them.”
Powers said he was not exactly sure what happened to cause such trouble for the Dawgs all weekend
“I don’t really know what to tell you guys, they played a lot better than we did,” Powers said. “We looked tense out there and you just have to relax and play.”
With the long weekend now behind them, Cohen said the team will learn and move forward.
“We are better than we were this weekend and we will continue to get better,” Cohen said. “Since this had to happen, I liked the way that it happened. It stings and I want our guys to feel that sting. Not everything will always go our way. We know how it feels when we don’t do our job.”