Mississippi State is already eliminated from the eight team Southeastern Conference tournament, but someone may have forgotten to tell them.
The Bulldogs are now playing the role of spoiler in LSU’s attempt for its first regular season SEC title since 2003, as MSU got past LSU, 8-7.
With the loss, No. 2 LSU failed to capture the SEC regular season crown by itself.
The Tigers went into the ninth inning down, 7-3, but scored four runs to tie the game at seven, including a two-run home run with two outs by junior designated hitter Blake Dean to tie the score.
MSU then scored the winning run on a bases loaded single by MSU pinch hitter Cody Freeman.
Mississippi State southpaw Nick Routt controlled Tiger batters all night, going eight plus innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits while striking out five.
The Bulldogs touched up LSU senior right-hander Louis Coleman, who came into the game with a 17 1/3 innings scoreless streak, for seven runs on seven hits in six innings.
Coleman’s scoreless streak ended early when MSU scored a run in the first inning on a fielder’s choice grounder.
The last time the Schlater, Miss., native had given up a run was April 25 against Auburn in the Tigers’ 7-6 victory.
MSU first baseman Connor Powers then hit a two-run home run, his 18th of the season, to put the Bulldogs up, 3-0, early.
Coleman gave up another homer in the bottom of the fourth, this time to MSU designated hitter Ryan Duffy, his 10th of the season, to put MSU up, 4-0.
LSU freshman Austin Nola put a spark into the LSU offense in the fifth inning when he hit a solo home run to cut MSU’s lead to 4-1. The home run was his second of the season.
The Tigers got back on the board in the sixth on a two RBI single by sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs to put LSU down by one, 4-3.
The Bulldogs answered quickly when Duffy got his third RBI of the night in the sixth when he delivered a double to score a run, putting MSU up, 5-3.
Powers followed the RBI single with his second home run of the night, putting MSU up, 7-3.
Nola got his fourth RBI of the series in the top of the ninth, delivering a single to score junior right fielder Jared Mitchell to bring the Tigers closer to the Bulldogs, 7-4.
The Tigers cut the lead to 7-5 on a fielder’s choice by LSU left fielder Ryan Schimpf that scored Gibbs.
The Tigers will try to capture the title tomorrow with a victory. Austin Ross will be on the mound for the Tigers against a yet-to-be named starter for MSU.—–Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]