Mississippi State Drops a 5-4 Decision to Virginia

The Bulldogs drop to 1-1 in the Charlottesville regional.

Hunter Hines / Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State loses in walkoff fashion to Virginia 5-4. Jurrangelo Cijntje drew the start for MSU and pitched a flawless first inning.

However, Virginia damaged the sophomore as they got a pair of singles followed by a two-RBI triple from third baseman Eric Becker. However, the Bulldogs responded in the third after a pair of singles, and the slumping Hunter Hines blasted a three-run home run to center field.

Bryce Chance led off the fourth inning with an infield single and moved to second on a groundout. The junior outfielder would score on a failed pickoff attempt that went into center field to extend the State lead to 4-2. Cijntje did not let the rough second inning affect him as he did not allow another run, including retiring eight straight batters before a single in the seventh.

However, the Pembroke Pines, Fla. native gave up two runs in the seventh, thanks to a Becker two-RBI single. Cijntje allowed no further damage and finished his outing with seven innings pitched, four earned runs, and five strikeouts.

Tyson Hardin took over on the mound for State to start the bottom of the eighth. The Dover, Fla., worked a scoreless inning and stranded a runner at second.

State threatened at the top of the ninth as shortstop David Mershon worked a two-out walk, followed by a Dakota Jordan single. However, Hines could not come through as he grounded out to second for the third out.

Harrison Didawick led off the bottom of the ninth with a ground-rule double, and Hardin issued a walk to the ensuing batter.

After a fielder's choice, UVA had a runner on first and third with one out, and second baseman Amani Larry could not field a ball cleanly, which would have likely resulted in a double play.

State will be back in action tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT against St John's.