‘Dogs batter Hogs’ bullpen, win 4-3
HOOVER, Ala. — The last team to appear in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament, Arkansas couldn’t finish what it started Thursday and lost 4-3 to Mississippi State at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
Two of the SEC’s top players sparked a ninth-inning comeback with the Bulldogs down 3-2. All-conference first baseman Ryan Gridley singled to center field and narrowly beat the throw to the plate after SEC player of the year Brent Rooker, a .419 hitter, doubled to left center.
Mississippi State loaded the bases when Jake Mangum singled and Hunter Stovall was hit by a pitch. Evan Lee, Arkansas’ fourth pitcher of the inning, worked the count to 3-1 on Cody Brown before walking in the deciding run.
Eric Cole walked with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before Riley Self got Chad Spanberger to pop up for the game-ending out.
Peyton Plumlee (6-1) worked four innings of two-hit relief for starter Denver McQuary. Cannon Chadwick (4-3) took the loss.
Arkansas faced a night game against Auburn in the double-elimination tournament.
Arkansas starter Trevor Stephan worked six innings, allowing eight innings but allowing only one run. Arkansas scored two runs in the first on Luke Bonfield’s ninth homer of the year and led 3-0 when Jack Kenley doubled home Jax Biggers in the second.
Arkansas, SEC West runner-up, fell to 39-16. Mississippi State, earning a measure of revenge for three early-season losses to the Razorbacks, improved to 36-22.