HATTIESBURG — The Mississippi State baseball team’s season isn’t over yet.
Konnor Pilkington pitched into the eighth inning and allowed only one run Sunday to lead No. 2 seed and No. 20 MSU to a 5-4 victory against No. 4 seed Illinois-Chicago in an elimination game in the NCAA tournament’s Hattiesburg Regional at Pete Taylor Park.
The win pushed MSU (37-25) into another elimination game scheduled for 6 tonight against the loser of the game between No. 3 seed South Alabama and No. 1 seed and No. 14 Southern Mississippi.
MSU coach Andy Cannizaro said the Bulldogs would start Denver McQuary or Jacob Billingsley in the evening game.
After MSU opened scoring with a run in the top of the third, a UIC bases-loaded sacrifice fly tied the game. Pilkington then retired 13 consecutive batters. The streak lasted through the seventh. In that streak, Pilkington struck out six of his nine, including two looking.
“My fastball was 90, 92 today,” Pilkington said, adding he had command of his curveball. “In the eighth they put a few good swings on me, but I give credit to my defense. Without them I wouldn’t have been in the ballgame.”
Pilkington (8-5) recorded his 100th strikeout of the season to become the fifth Bulldog since 2000 to accomplish the feat. The nine strikeouts pushed Pilkington’s total to 107, which is two shy of tying Eric DuBose for 10th all-time in school history.
Pilkington allowed three hits to start the eighth. The last one scored two runs. Spencer Price then recorded an out before allowing the tying run to take first on a single. Riley Self allowed a run before recording the final two outs to end the inning.
“(UIC) is one of the best four seeds in the entire tournament, and they played that way the last two days,” Cannizaro said. “I felt like our guys played with a lot of pride today, a lot of energy, a lot of emotion.”
Self pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save. UIC (39-17) had the bases loaded with one out before a strikeout and groundout helped MSU advance.
Cannizaro shuffled the lineup by moving second baseman Hunter Stovall to the leadoff role for the first time this year. Ryan Gridley, who had been hitting in the leadoff spot, moved to the No. 3 hole. Gridley had been hitting .350 since moving there May 16, but Stovall responded by reaching base twice and scoring a run.
The change pushed Jake Mangum to No. 5 in the lineup and Cody Brown to the cleanup spot for the first time since in four games.
“We basically took a look at the last 30 at-bats of all of our guys,” Cannizaro said. “(Stovall)’s been going really good. He’s been getting on base. He’s been drawing walks and Gridley’s swinging it really well. We were just trying to do something a little different to kick-start the offense.”
Gridley drove home Stovall in the third. Stovall set up the run with a steal of second base in which he avoided the tag by pulling his left hand back and reaching for the bag with his right.
Gridley had two hits, as did Brown, Elijah MacNamee, and Brent Rooker. Mangum led the team with three hits.
Cole Gordon also was in the lineup as designated hitter. Gordon, who was primarily viewed as a position player in the preseason, entered the game with eight at-bats in April and May after transitioning to full-time pitching duties. Gordon had an RBI single.
NOTE: Rooker had his 30th double of the season as part of his 2-for-5 day. He became the first Bulldog to reach that mark. Earlier this season, Rooker eclipsed Pete Young’s 27-year-old record with his 28th double. Rooker’s 30th double, which was good for an RBI in a three-run top of the fourth, helped him become the first player in Southeastern Conference history to have at least 21 home runs, 30 doubles, and 77 RBIs in a season.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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