Alabama Baseball's Conference Skid Continues with 12-8 Loss to Mississippi State

Eight two-out runs for Mississippi State propelled the Bulldogs past the Crimson Tide to take Game 1.

Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Heading into Thursday night’s game against Alabama baseball, Mississippi State possessed the worst conference record in the Southeastern Conference so far this season.

Not anymore.

Despite a rough 1-8 start to SEC play so far this season, the Bulldogs were able to take down the Crimson Tide by a final score of 12-8, making a tough start to conference play even rougher for Alabama. The win for Mississippi State represents just its second SEC win of the season.

"Obviously, tough night at the ballpark for us," Crimson Tide head coach Brad Bohannon said after the game. "[We] didn't do enough on either side of the ball to win and certainly didn't pitch well enough.

"We just did not execute pitches well enough tonight to beat an SEC team."

Right-handed pitcher Garrett McMillan picked up his first start of the season, with the veteran having missed the first portion of the season due to a shoulder injury that he suffered during spring training. The start, however, was likely one that McMillan wouldn’t mind soon forgetting.

In the top of the first, a sac-fly and an RBI-single scored two runs right off the bat, putting the Crimson Tide in a deficit. McMillan was pulled after finishing out the inning, his stat line reading two runs off two hits, two walks and a strikeout in one inning pitched.

In the top of the second, Mississippi State extended its lead to 3-0 when catcher Ross Highfill hit a solo home run to left field.

In the bottom of the second, an RBI-single by Alabama right fielder Tommy Seidl put the Crimson Tide’s first run on the board. The next inning, shortstop Jim Jarvis and left fielder William Hamiter hit back-to-back solo home runs, tying the game at 3-3 and bringing life back into The Joe.

An RBI-single in the bottom of the fourth by Crimson Tide second baseman Ed Johnson gave Alabama its first — and what would ultimately be its only — lead of the night.

After Mississippi State added a run to tie the game in the top of the fifth, the floodgates opened for the Bulldogs in the seventh. Hines hit a one-out solo home run. Then, with two outs on the board, Bulldogs third baseman Slate Alford hit a two-run home run. Mississippi State wasn’t done, though, as Highfill proceeded to hit his second home run of the night — this time a three-run shot that gave the Bulldogs a 10-4 lead.

A run for the Crimson Tide in the bottom of the seventh was answered by a runs for the Bulldogs in the top of both the eighth and ninth. Three runs for the Crimson Tide in the bottom of the ninth weren't enough and the final scoreboard read 12-8 in favor of the Bulldogs.

On the mound, Colby Holcombe (2-1) picked up the win for the Bulldogs while KC Hunt was credited with the save. Connor Ball (1-1) was saddled with the loss for the Crimson Tide.

"Our guys keep playing," Bohannon said. "We scored in five of the eight innings which is obviously a real positive. It's a real even-keeled group. We preach all the time, 'Just go play, just go play,' and they did a good job of that.

"Typically over time that's a really positive attribute for a team to have."

With the loss, Alabama falls to 22-9 overall and is 3-7 in SEC play. Mississippi State rises to 18-13 and is 2-8 in the conference. The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs will go at it again at The Joe on Friday in Game 2 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).

How It Happened:

See Also:

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