Saturday, May 3
Auburn, Ala.
6:00 p.m.
Mississippi State
19-27, 7-16
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Auburn
25-23, 9-14
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Mississippi State
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Auburn
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State Evens Series With Auburn By Notching 4-3 Victory
May 03, 2008 | Baseball
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
AUBURN, Ala. - A two-run Ryan Collins single sparked a three-run third inning, giving enough offense to the Mississippi State baseball team for a 4-3 win over Auburn Saturday night.
The game was in doubt until the final out when MSU center fielder Mark Goforth caught Auburn second baseman Justin Hargett's drive on the warning track to end the contest.
With the victory, the Bulldogs evened the weekend Southeastern Conference series at a game apiece at Plainsman Park. MSU will try to win back-to-back conference series by taking Sunday's 2 p.m. rubber game. Auburn won the series opener, 11-4 Friday night.
MSU closer Aaron Weatherford continued his recent dominance. Weatherford pitched the final 1-2/3 innings, facing six batters and recording three strikeouts. Weatherford earned his fifth save by overcoming a two-out walk to Matt Hall, thanks to Goforth's catch. Weatherford now has 46 strikeouts in 22-2/3 innings and has not allowed an earned run.
The Bulldogs improved to 19-27 overall and 7-16 in conference play, while Auburn fell to 25-23 and 9-14. MSU is now four games out of eighth place in the overall conference standings.
Auburn opened the scoring with a lone run in the second inning. Joseph Sanders opened the inning with a leadoff double. After taking third on a wild pitch, the Auburn first baseman scored on a groudball out hit by David Cunningham.
The Bulldogs grabbed the lead by scoring three times in the third inning. Ryan Duffy opened the inning with a leadoff walk. Goforth followed with a hot-shot single, with both runners taking an extra base on an Auburn error. A Grant Hogue infield hit brought Duffy home. Collins then continued his hot weekend, with a two-run single to center field, scoring both Goforth and Hogue.
Auburn answered with a run of its own in the home half of the third inning. Hargett opened the inning with a single. After a pair of ground outs, a two-out infield error allowed argett to score, closing the gap to 3-2.
The Bulldogs then plated an important insurance run when Tyler Moore led off the sixth ininng with a solo home run. For the MSU first baseman, it was his third home run in the last four conference games and also tied him with Connor Powers for the team lead with 11 round-trippers.
Auburn cut the lead in half in the home half of the eigth inning. For a second straight game, Auburn right fielder Mike Bianucci homered. Bianucci hit his 10th home run of the year with one out in the eigth inning.
The homestanding Tigers could get no closer as the Bulldogs improved to 6-6 in one-run contests this season.
Each team finished with six hits. Hunter Morris and Hargett each had multiple hits for Auburn, while no Bulldog managed two hits.
Winning pitcher Ricky Bowen (3-5) worked the first six innings for the Bulldogs. Bowen allowed five hits and two runs (one earned), with one walk and five strikeouts. John Lalor relieved Bowen and retired the first four batters he faced before being lifted at Bianucci's home run.
Losing pitcher Taylor Thompson (2-5) also worked six innings for the Tigers. Thompson also allowed five hits and four runs (all earned), with one walk and seven strikeouts. Auburn reliever Michael Hurst walked the first batter he faced and then retired eight straight Bulldogs before Duffy hit a two-out double in the ninth inning. A groundout then closed Hurst's third and final inning.
The Bulldogs and Tigers conclude their series with a 2 p.m. start Sunday. MSU is scheduled to start asenior left-hander Justin Pigott (2-1, 4.13 ERA), while Auburn has not announced its starter. The Sunday game will be available on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 119), as well as statewide on the Bulldog Sports Network and through the Internet on M2M.
The game was in doubt until the final out when MSU center fielder Mark Goforth caught Auburn second baseman Justin Hargett's drive on the warning track to end the contest.
With the victory, the Bulldogs evened the weekend Southeastern Conference series at a game apiece at Plainsman Park. MSU will try to win back-to-back conference series by taking Sunday's 2 p.m. rubber game. Auburn won the series opener, 11-4 Friday night.
MSU closer Aaron Weatherford continued his recent dominance. Weatherford pitched the final 1-2/3 innings, facing six batters and recording three strikeouts. Weatherford earned his fifth save by overcoming a two-out walk to Matt Hall, thanks to Goforth's catch. Weatherford now has 46 strikeouts in 22-2/3 innings and has not allowed an earned run.
The Bulldogs improved to 19-27 overall and 7-16 in conference play, while Auburn fell to 25-23 and 9-14. MSU is now four games out of eighth place in the overall conference standings.
Auburn opened the scoring with a lone run in the second inning. Joseph Sanders opened the inning with a leadoff double. After taking third on a wild pitch, the Auburn first baseman scored on a groudball out hit by David Cunningham.
The Bulldogs grabbed the lead by scoring three times in the third inning. Ryan Duffy opened the inning with a leadoff walk. Goforth followed with a hot-shot single, with both runners taking an extra base on an Auburn error. A Grant Hogue infield hit brought Duffy home. Collins then continued his hot weekend, with a two-run single to center field, scoring both Goforth and Hogue.
Auburn answered with a run of its own in the home half of the third inning. Hargett opened the inning with a single. After a pair of ground outs, a two-out infield error allowed argett to score, closing the gap to 3-2.
The Bulldogs then plated an important insurance run when Tyler Moore led off the sixth ininng with a solo home run. For the MSU first baseman, it was his third home run in the last four conference games and also tied him with Connor Powers for the team lead with 11 round-trippers.
Auburn cut the lead in half in the home half of the eigth inning. For a second straight game, Auburn right fielder Mike Bianucci homered. Bianucci hit his 10th home run of the year with one out in the eigth inning.
The homestanding Tigers could get no closer as the Bulldogs improved to 6-6 in one-run contests this season.
Each team finished with six hits. Hunter Morris and Hargett each had multiple hits for Auburn, while no Bulldog managed two hits.
Winning pitcher Ricky Bowen (3-5) worked the first six innings for the Bulldogs. Bowen allowed five hits and two runs (one earned), with one walk and five strikeouts. John Lalor relieved Bowen and retired the first four batters he faced before being lifted at Bianucci's home run.
Losing pitcher Taylor Thompson (2-5) also worked six innings for the Tigers. Thompson also allowed five hits and four runs (all earned), with one walk and seven strikeouts. Auburn reliever Michael Hurst walked the first batter he faced and then retired eight straight Bulldogs before Duffy hit a two-out double in the ninth inning. A groundout then closed Hurst's third and final inning.
The Bulldogs and Tigers conclude their series with a 2 p.m. start Sunday. MSU is scheduled to start asenior left-hander Justin Pigott (2-1, 4.13 ERA), while Auburn has not announced its starter. The Sunday game will be available on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 119), as well as statewide on the Bulldog Sports Network and through the Internet on M2M.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bowen, Ricky (3-5)
L: T. Thompson (2-5)
S: Weatherford, Aaron (5)
Batting:
2B: Duffy, Ryan 1
HR: Moore, Tyler 1
RBI: Hogue, Grant 1 ; Collins, Ryan 2 ; Moore, Tyler 1
SH: Goforth, Mark 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hogue, Grant 1 ; Moore, Tyler 1 ; Duffy, Ryan 1 ; Goforth, Mark 1
SB: Hogue, Grant 1
Batting:
2B: Morris 1 ; Sanders 1
HR: Bianucci 1
RBI: Bianucci 1 ; Cunningham 1
SH: Jenkins 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bianucci 1 ; Sanders 1 ; Hargett 1
SB: Hall 1
CS: Bianucci 1
HBP: Fletcher 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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C
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball1B
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
3B/1B
/ Baseball
RHP
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