TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A four run seventh proved to be too much as Alabama baseball fell, 4-2, to sixth-ranked Mississippi State on Thursday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The loss moves the Crimson Tide to 29-20 on the season and 12-15 in Southeastern Conference play.
A pitchers’ duel saw both teams go scoreless until the fifth. That inning featured a solo home run from Jackson Tate to get Alabama on the board first. Tyler Ras kept the Bulldogs at bay in the sixth before a four-run top of the seventh gave MSU the lead for good. The Crimson Tide battled for one in the bottom of the seventh and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the eight but would not get any closer.
Ras was solid once again, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts across 6.1 innings of work. The junior held State scoreless through the first 6.0 frames, giving up four hits and no walks before running into trouble in the seventh. Christian MacLeod (5-3) picked up the win with 7.0 innings of two-run baseball that featured 10 strikeouts. He was followed by Landon Sims with the Mississippi State closer recording his eighth save of the year across the final 2.0 frames.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
“This was a really tough loss. Our guys did some good things tonight, especially Tyler Ras. Ras gave us an awesome start. He’s been an absolute warrior this year. He pitched deep in the game and gave us a real shot to win.”
How It Happened
- B5 | Jackson Tate sent a ball the opposite way for a solo home run. (1-0, Alabama)
- T7 | The Bulldogs used a leadoff walk and three hits to plate four runs. (4-1, Mississippi State)
- B7 | Zane Denton led things off with a walk. After a pair of outs, Tate singled to put two on for Bryce Eblin. The freshman delivered, singling through the right side to add one for UA. (4-2, Mississippi State)
Postgame Notes
- Tyler Ras recorded 6.1 innings of work and has now thrown 5.0-plus innings in 10 of his 13 total starts this season.
- Ras issued only one walk and has allowed two-or-fewer free passes 11 of his starts.
- Jackson Tate homered for the second straight game after also going deep at LSU on Sunday, May 16. With Tate’s back-to-back home run games, Alabama hitters have now recorded homers on consecutive nights eight times this season. The most recent instance was Sam Praytor from April 17-20.
- Tate also homered in back-to-back games last season when he went deep against Alabama State on Feb. 19 followed by a homer at UNLV on Feb. 21.
- ATTENDANCE: 2,032
The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow evening for another 6 p.m. CT first pitch at The Joe. Alabama will call on right-hander Dylan Smith while Mississippi State counters with Will Bednar, also a righty. Game two of the series can be seen live on SEC Network+.
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