HOOVER, Alabama — For the 22nd time this season, the Mississippi State baseball team came from behind to win a game. This time it waited until the last inning to do it.
For the first time this season, MSU (36-22) won a game after trailing after eight innings. The Bulldogs scored two runs in the top of the ninth to beat Arkansas (39-16) 4-3. MSU will play top-seeded Florida at 11 a.m. Friday. If the Bulldogs win, they will go straight to the semifinals, but a loss would put them in an elimination game where the winner goes to the semifinal.
MSU needed just two at-bats in the ninth-inning rally to tie the game. Shortstop Ryan Gridley led off with a single and first baseman Brent Rooker followed with an RBI double to tie the game.
MSU scored the winning run on a walk. Center fielder Jake Mangum singled and second baseman Hunter Stovall was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting up Cody Brown’s walk to score the go-ahead run.
Freshman pitcher Riley Self earned a save for the second consecutive game, having also recorded the final three outs of MSU’s 3-0 first-round win over Georgia. Peyton Plumlee got the win after four innings of scoreless relief pitching for starter Denver McQuary.
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