Duffy Home Run Lifts MSU Past Arkansas

Thursday, May 15

Starkville

6:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

22-32, 0

Arkansas

32-21, 0

Arkansas

Mississippi State

Duffy Home Run Lifts MSU Past Arkansas

May 15, 2008 | Baseball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
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STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Ryan Duffy's home run to center field lifted Mississippi State past Arkansas 6-5 in college baseball action Thursday night at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs won the Southeastern Conference series opener to kick off the final weekend of regular season play. MSU improved to 22-32 overall and 8-20 in league play, while Arkansas fell to 32-21 and 13-14.

The Razorbacks remain in sole posession of eighth place in the overall conference standings thanks to South Carolina's 13-2 loss to Tennessee Thursday night. The top eight teams advance to the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs were eliminated from postseason play last weekend at LSU.

Duffy hit a first pitch offering from Arkansas pitcher Justin Wells over the center field wall - just to the right of the extended wall in dead center. That home run - Duffy's seventh of the year - broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning and lifted the Bulldogs to victory.

Arkansas opened the scoring in the second inning when Brett Eibner hit a three-run home run over the right field fence. For Eibner, it was his seventh home run of the year. It was also one of few mistakes by MSU starter Ricky Bowen.

Bowen threw 117 pitches and worked 6-1/3 innings, allowing five hits and five runs (all earned), with four walks and nine strikeouts. Aaron Weatherford (3-0) allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh inning thanks to two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly. Weatherford did work around that trouble in the seventh inning and became a winner thanks to Duffy's blast. The Hogs were retired in order in the eighth inning but did manage a two-out double in the ninth inning.

MSU took the lead with three runs in the third inning and after plating one score in the second inning. Russ Sneed hit his second home run of the season in the second inning. An inning later, the Bulldogs did grab a 4-3 lead with a two-run double from Tyler Moore and a run-producing groundball out by Sneed.

In the fourth inning, MSU grabbed a 5-3 lead on an RBI-single by Mark Goforth. That lead stood up before Arkansas' uprising in the seventh inning.

For the Razorbacks, Justin Wells (3-2) threw 126 pitches in 7-1/3 innings of work. Wells allowed seven hits and six runs (all earned), with two walks and nine strikeouts. Mike Bolsinger completed the contest for Arkansas. MSU finished with seven hits. Duffy was the lone multiple hitter for the hosts.

Arkansas finished with six hits. Aaron Murphree had multiple hits for the Razorbacks.

MSU and Arkansas resume their series with a 6:30 p.m. start Friday. The Bulldogs are scheduled to start senior right-hander John Lalor (3-3, 3.31 ERA), while the Razorbacks are scheduled to start junior left-hander Cliff Springston (5-2, 3.94). The MSU seniors - Justin Pigott, Jesse Carver, Andy Rice, Andy Wilson and Lalor - will be honored prior to Friday's first pitch. On Saturday, the regionally-televised (Fox Sports Net South) series finale is set for a 3:12 p.m. start. That contest will close the 40-year coaching career of MSU head coach Ron Polk.
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