STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 5 Auburn fell behind on a first-inning grand slam and couldn’t make up the different in a 10-3 loss to No. 10 Mississippi State Thursday night at Dudy Noble Field.
A ground ball to shortstop resulted in an infield single and extended the first inning for the Bulldogs, who took advantage with a grand slam to take an early 4-0 lead.
“They wound up getting those bases loaded and got the big swing right there, but we have to be able to overcome things like that, too. Even if we’re used to it or not,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “All-in-all, if you look at the game, we did not get a leadoff man on. We were the puppet tonight, and they were the puppeteer, and I think it was on both sides.”
Mississippi State (38-12, 15-10 SEC) scored in five of eight at-bats and responded both times Auburn (33-15, 14-11 SEC) was able to get on the scoreboard in the series opener.
Pitching on five days of rest, Jake Marciano (4-4) struck out the first two batters of the game and induced a ground ball to short that resulted in an infield single after an untimely throw to first, which would have ended the inning after 11 pitches. However, Mississippi State took advantage of the miscue with a single, walk and grand slam to get out to the four-run lead.
On the other side, starting pitcher Tomas Valincius (8-2) retired the first nine Auburn hitters he faced with six strikeouts the first time through the order.
The Bulldogs added to their early lead with a timely two-out, two-strike hit in the third.
Valincius struck out the side in the fourth to maintain his perfect game until Ethin Bingaman hit a one-out single back up the middle in the fifth and ultimately scored on a two-out single from Brandon McCraine.
The Bulldogs answered with a two-out RBI double from Bryce Chance in the bottom of the inning, his fifth RBI of the game after hitting the grand slam in the first.
After LJ Cormier exited the game following a season-high 3.1 innings of work, Mississippi State extended its lead with a two-run home run to extend its lead to 8-1.
Bub Terrell got the runs right back on a two-run home run of his own in the top of the sixth, tying for the team lead with his 12th long ball of the season. However, Mississippi State answered again with a leadoff homer and sacrifice fly in the home half of the seventh.
Abe Chancellor turned in his eighth straight scoreless appearances, including his second of the week, as he pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Tigers.
“I’m just going in, filling up the strike zone, trusting my defense,” Chancellor said. “That’s a huge part. I can go out there, throw strikes and try to get the first guy out and go from there.”
Auburn pitchers struck out 10 and walked just two but allowed 16 hits, including three home runs, in the contest.
Valincius struck out 13 in 6.2 innings of work, and reliever Jack Bauer didn’t allow a baserunner in the final 2.1 innings pitched.
“There’s no time to feel sorry for yourself,” Thompson added. “We’ve been squeezing for five weeks, but that doesn’t matter. We have to get right back out here, get behind (Andreas) Alvarez, make whatever adjustments we need to and come out and try to win a baseball game.”
Game two between the two teams is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.