BILOXI, Miss. – Old Dominion Baseball scored three runs in the top of the sixth to pull to within 7-4, but couldn’t catch No. 22 Mississippi State as the Monarchs dropped the midweek game, 9-4 on Tuesday night in the Hancock Whitney Classic.
Starting pitcher Nick Sulpizio looked sharp for the first two innings. The Bulldogs (12-4) came into the week ranked seventh in the nation in slugging percentage (.593) and 15th in batting average (.333), but the sophomore from Cherry Hill, New Jersey kept them off the board until the third. He worked around a two-out single in the bottom of the first, then retired the first two batters in the second before plunking the next batter. Jack Slater’s throw to Kyle Edwards at second base was in time to catch the runner trying to steal.
In the third, MSU put together a pair of doubles to grab a 1-0 lead. The Monarchs (4-10) came up with a quick response though as Zach Leite led off the fourth with a solo home run to left center. Walks by Edwards and TJ Aiken and a bunt single by Scotty Young loaded the bases with one out, but Slater went down swinging and Tahraun Hammond grounded out to first base.
The Bulldogs then regained control with five runs on four hits and an error in the bottom of the frame. Hunter Hines started off the inning with a double to the gap in right, then came around on an Aaron Downs single to left center. Later with one out and the bases loaded, ODU took the force out at second, but a runner scored on the play and MSU jumped ahead 3-1. A wild pitch and an ODU throwing error made it a 4-1 deficit, and Ace Reese drove in two more runs with a double to center field.
MSU pushed their lead to 7-1 in the fifth as Downs doubled to left field, advanced to third on a fielder’s choice, and came home on a Ross Highfill base hit to left center.
ODU put up a crooked number in the sixth, plating three runs on as many hits to close the gap, 7-4. After Edwards and Aiken hit back-to-back singles, Edwards stole third and Tyler Zedalis was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Edwards then scored on a wild pitch with Aiken and Zedalis also moving up, and Young drew a walk to reload the bases again. Slater then hit a ball deep enough to left to bring in Aiken and Hammond followed with an RBI single down the right-field line.
The Bulldogs weren’t down though. With one out and runners on first and second, MSU’s Noah Sullivan made it 8-4 with a double to center field. ODU then fell behind 9-4 on a Hunes sacrifice fly to left.
The Monarchs struggled to get base runners the rest of the way. They were retired in order in the seventh and eighth innings. With two outs in the ninth, Efrain Morales reached on a throwing error by the MSU shortstop, but Bryce Jones went down looking to end the game.
Cole Lanford (0-1) received the loss after getting touched up for three runs on three hits in 0.2 innings in relief. Sulpizio allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout through 2.2 innings of work. ODU used seven pitchers in what marked a staff day for the Monarchs.
On offense, Leite finished 2-for-4 with the long ball. Aiken (1-for-2) scored a run and walked twice, Young (1-for-2) also earned a base on balls, Edwards (1-for-3) had one run with a walk and two stolen bases, and Slater (1-for-3) collected one RBI. Hammond (1-for-5) had the team’s other hit and added an RBI to his totals.
ODU combined to hit 7-for-33 (.212) in the game, was 3-for-14 (.214) with runners on, and 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
The Monarchs open Sun Belt Conference play at Southern Miss this weekend. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EDT start. The teams return for a 3 p.m. EDT first on Saturday and meet again for a 2 p.m. EDT game on Sunday.