Bulldogs Split Baseball Doubleheader At Alabama

Saturday, April 19

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

2:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

15-22, 3-13

Alabama

21-18, 7-9

Mississippi State

Alabama

Baseball Bulldogs Split Games In BankFirst Challenge

Bulldogs Split Baseball Doubleheader At Alabama

April 19, 2008 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics (Game 1)
? Official Statistics (Game 1) (PDF)
? Official Statistics (Game 2)
? Official Statistics (Game 2) (PDF)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Russ Sneed's two-run double in the seventh inning lifted Mississippi State past Alabama 6-4 in a Southeastern Conference baseball game Saturday night.

The Bulldogs battled back to earn a split of the day's play at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on the UA campus. In the opener, Alabama hit four home runs and used a six-run fourth inning and eight-run seventh inning to cruise to a 21-7 victory.

With the victory, MSU improved to 16-22 overall and 4-13 in conference play, while Alabama fell to 21-19 and 7-10. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have now split their last 14 meetings on the baseball diamond.

MSU actually battled back from a 4-1 deficit to earn the doubleheader split. John Lalor and Aaron Weatherford combined for four innings of shutout relief, allowing the Bulldogs to rally to victory. MSU came from behind with a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh inninngs, as well as another insurance score in the eighth inning.

The Bulldogs also struck first in the second game, scoring once in the fourth inning. Russ Sneed led off the fourth inning with a single. Sneed was balked to second base and later scored on a two-out RBI-single by Ryan Powers.

The Crimson Tide answered in the fifth inning, scoring four runs off of a combination of two hits, two walks and two MSU errors. Ross Wilson and Alex Kubal started things with back-to-back one-out walks. A wild pitch and throwing error advanced both runners and scored Wilson. An RBI-single by Josh Rutledge scored Kubal. Brandon May followed with another hit. A wild pitch advanced both runners and scored Rutledge. May came home on the second MSU error of the inning.

MSU came right back with a pair of runs in the top half of the sixth inning. Powers again delivered the big hit, crusing a two-run, two-out double to the left center gap. That hit scored Sneed, who had walked, and Jet Butler, who had singled.

The Bulldogs battled back into the lead an inning later, scoring twice more in the seventh inning. Jason Nappi started things with a one-out single to left field. Tyler Moore than laced a two-out double just inside the left field line. Russ Sneed followed with a two-run double to right center, plating both Nappi and Moore.

MSU then added an insurance score in the eighth inning. Again, Powers had a hand in the offense, drawing a one-out walk to start the attack. Hogue and Nappi followed with singles. A bases-loaded walk to Cody Freeman scored Powers, stretching the lead to 6-4.

Ricky Bowen drew the start for MSU. Bowen worked five innings, allowing three hits and four runs (three earned), with five walks and seven strikeouts. Lalor (2-3) worked the next two innings, allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out three batters.

The Bulldogs finished with 12 hits and overcame 11 stranded base runners. Nappi had his fourth three-hit game of the season. Hogue, Sneed, Butler and Powers each had multiple hits.

The Crimson Tide finished with four hits. Rutledge was the lone multiple hitter for Alabama.

UA starter Miers Quigley (4-3) took the loss. Quigley threw 7-1/3 innings, allowing 11 hits and six runs (all earned), with five walks and five strikeouts. Jimmy Nelson finished the contest for the Crimson Tide.

In game one, MSU actually scored first, plating one run in the top half of the third inning. The Crimson Tide answered with three runs in the third inning and six runs in the fourth inning.

The big blow in the fourth inning was a three-run home run by Alex Avila - a team-best 10th home run for the Alabama catcher. That round-tripper came after a two-out infield error had extended the frame for the hosts.

The Bulldogs slowly climbed back into the contest, putting together a three-run fifth inning to cut the deficit to 10-5. Russ Sneed and Ryan Duffy started that inning with back-to-back doubles for MSU. Powers followed with a single. A Hogue sacrfice fly scored Duffy. MSU then loaded the bases but only managed one run off a wild pitch.

Alabama then put the contest back out of reach with two runs in the sixth inning and eight more scores in the seventh inning. A grand slam by Del Howell was the big blow in seventh inning. The Crimson Tide had been hitless in its previous 15 at-bats with the bases loaded. Ross Wilson also homered twice in the inning becoming the first U of A player to do that since 1999.

Austin Hyatt (3-3) earned the win for Alabama. Hyatt pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing 11 hits and five runs (four earned), with three walks and three strikeouts. Austin Graham and Will Stroup finished up the contest for the Crimson Tide.

The Crimson Tide finished with 22 hits. Wilson and Howell each had three hits to pace the Alabama attack. Rutledge, May, Avila, Matt Bentley, Ryan Rhoden, Jake Smith and Kubal each had multiple hits for the hosts. Avila drove in a team-best five runs, while Howell had four RBI.

Chad Crosswhite (2-3) took the loss. Crosswhite worked four innings, allowing nine hits and nine runs (five earned). Forrest Moore and Greg Houston followed in relief.

Duffy paced MSU's 12-hit attack with his second three-hit game of the season. Hogue and Sneed also had multiple hits for the Bulldogs.

MSU and Alabama will complete their weekend series Sunday with a 2 p.m. start. The Bulldogs are scheduled to start senior left-hander Justin Pigott (2-1, 4.57 ERA), while the Crimson Tide is scheduled to start junior right-hander Robert Phares (1-3, 6.81). That contest will be televised regionally by Comcast Sports Southeast. MSU then visits in-state rival Southern Mississippi for midweek games at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in Hattiesburg.