Box score

STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 21 Mississippi State scored five unanswered runs over its final five at-bats to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 7-3 Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field.

South Alabama (9-4) pushed the game's first runs across in the top of the third. Travis Swaggerty led off the inning with an infield single to third base, and moved to second on a groundout to shortstop by Drew LaBounty. Jared Barnes followed with a two-out, two-run home run – his second of the season – to left field on a 1-2 pitch from MSU right-hander Noah Hughes for a two-run lead. Danny Martinez then drew a walk before Ben Gann doubled down the left field line to score Martinez from first for a 3-0 USA advantage.

But from there, USA went scoreless while MSU (9-3-1) plated seven runs over its next six frames.

The Bulldogs answered to cut the Jaguar lead to one run in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, two-run home run to left field by Gavin Collins. MSU then took a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run pinch-hit double to left field with one out by Brent Rooker.

Mississippi State pushed its lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI infield single to shortstop by Jacob Robson, and added the game's final two runs on a two-run home run to left field by Collins in the bottom of the eighth. 

Collins went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs, four RBI and two runs scored to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Barnes finished 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored, and Gann added a double and an RBI.

MSU's Ethan Small (1-0) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings and struck out three to earn his first win of the season. Jaguar right-hander Hunter Soleymani (1-1) allowed four runs on two hits with one strikeout and four walks in 5 1/3 innings in the loss. 

South Alabama will return to action this weekend when it travels to Little Rock, Ark., to open Sun Belt Conference play with a three-game series against Little Rock.

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).