STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to build a five-run lead and defeat University of South Alabama baseball 9-5 Wednesday evening at Dudy Noble Field.

USA pitchers held the Bulldogs scoreless in five of nine innings, but MSU scored multiple runs in the first and seventh innings to secure their 17th win of the season.

First baseman Connor Powers went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Right fielder Luke Adkins added three hits and a run scored for MSU.

Right-hander Kendall Graveman (2-2) earned the win for the Bulldogs in four innings pitched, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three.

USA right-hander Lance Brown (1-3) took the loss in 3.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out one and issuing one walk.

Jaguar right fielder Clint Reynolds went 3-for-5 with a double, RBI and one run scored to lead South Alabama at the plate. First baseman Tyler Vick also went 3-for-5 with a double and one run scored.

Mississippi State (17-16)  jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on RBI singles by Powers and Jonathan Ogden. Powers scored the final run of the inning on a fielder's choice off the bat of Trey Johnson.

The Bulldogs added a run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double by Powers that scored Ryan Duffy, and extended their lead to 4-0.

USA cut the MSU lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning. Vick led off the inning with a double to right-center field, and scored on Taylor White's infield single. Reynolds followed with an RBI single to left field that scored White and cut the MSU lead to 4-2. Brent Tanner scored the Jags' final run of the frame on Adam Heisler's fielder's choice, after reaching on a single earlier in the inning.

MSU increased its lead to 5-3 when Sam Frost led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single, and later scored on Duffy's sacrifice fly to left field.

USA answered to cut the Bulldog lead to 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning on Jake Overstreet's RBI single that scored Reynolds, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning on three hits. Powers led off the inning with a double to right-center field, and scored on Shepherd's single to right field. Frost drew a bases-loaded walk to score pinch-runner Nick Vickerson and give MSU a 7-4 lead. Wes Thigpen followed with a two-run single to center field to increase the Bulldog lead to five runs.

South Alabama added a run in the top of the ninth inning on Nolan Earley's single to center field that scored Sean Laird, who led off the inning with a walk.

USA (24-14, 11-4 SBC) returns to action this weekend when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe in a three-game series, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Stanky Field.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

- USA -

NOTES:  Heisler went hitless in the game, snapping a 10-game hitting streak, but extended his on-base streak to 18 games ... Laird extended his on-base streak to 14 games ... USA fell to 38-25 all-time against Mississippi State and 13-20 all-time at Dudy Noble Field.