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MOBILE, Ala. – No. 17 Mississippi State scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat University of South Alabama baseball 6-4 Tuesday at Stanky Field.

The first two Bulldogs in the top of the ninth – Adam Frazier and Alex Detz – reached on a single and hit by pitch, respectively, to start the frame. A flyout to right by Hunter Renfroe allowed Frazier to advance to third and give MSU runners at the corners with one out. Brett Pirtle drew a walk to load the bases before Wes Rea delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield to plate two runs for a 6-4 advantage.

South Alabama (22-8) faced a 4-1 deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before two Bulldog errors allowed three unearned runs to score and tie the game. Whitt Dorsey reached on a one-out error to third base, and moved to second on an infield single by Robby Campbell. Dustin Dalken then delivered a pinch-hit double to left field to score Dorsey and cut the MSU lead in half. A Bulldog error at second base off the bat of Hayden Jones allowed both Campbell and pinch-runner Cole Jarman to score and tie the game 4-4.

The Jaguars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Drew Cofield led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Graham Odom and advanced to third on a bunt single to third from Cole Billingsley. Billingsley stole second before Bud Collura delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to score Cofield and give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead.

Mississippi State (24-8) loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth when Sam Frost reached on a fielder’s choice to first base, Jacob Robson reached on an error to shortstop and Nick Ammirati reached on a hit by pitch. Jaguar starter Matt Bell then balked home the tying run, before inducing an inning-ending groundout to first.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when Detz reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning, moved to third on a double from Renfroe and scored on a wild pitch from Bell. MSU pushed its lead to 3-1 one batter later on an RBI groundout by Pirtle that scored Renfroe from third.

Frost reached on a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth, moved to second on a sacrifice by Robson and scored on a mishandled ball in right field on a single by Ammirati to increase the Bulldog lead to 4-1 before the Jags answered to tie the game in the seventh inning.

Bulldog left-hander Chad Girodo (3-1) earned the win in 1 2/3 relief innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit with a strikeout and a walk. Jonathan Holder pitched a perfect ninth inning and struck out two to record his eighth save of the season. Jaguar left-hander James Traylor (2-3) suffered the loss in two relief innings, allowing one run on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts.

Dalken went 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI to lead the Jags at the plate. Collura and Jones drove in one run each, while Billingsley, Jordan Patterson, Campbell and Cofield had one hit apiece.

Renfroe had two hits, including a double, and scored once, and Rea finished with one hit and two RBI to lead the Bulldogs at the plate.

“The game didn’t finish up the way I wanted it to,” USA head coach Mark Calvi said. “But we had two hits through five innings, and we made two errors that led to two unearned runs. We have to do a better job defensively, and that got us tonight. We didn’t handle a guy with a changeup very well. We made some quick outs on some less-than-great off-speed pitches. We need to play better, and hopefully we can get back on track tomorrow night.

“We have made some tentative errors, and we’ve made some over-aggressive mistakes on offense. This is a good team, and every team goes through its spells where things just aren’t going your way – where you’re not playing well. But this is a good team. It is a locker room full of tough kids, and they know how to win. They just need to play better, be aggressive and go to the game instead of waiting on it to come to them.”

South Alabama will return to action Wednesday when it hosts Southeastern Louisiana at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

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

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