TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The only sound in the Tradition Room of Dick Howser Stadium was Gary Henderson’s shuffling feet and his three deep exhales. Mississippi State’s interim baseball coach slid behind a seated Konnor Pilkington, settling between him and catcher Dustin Skelton.
It was time to face the postgame press conference, and he knew what was coming.
A nine-run top of the seventh inning with three pitching changes unraveled one of MSU’s best offensive showings of the season in Friday’s 20-10 loss to Oklahoma (37-23); Henderson knew he would have to answer for it and he did, just hours before it continued in the Tallahassee Regional facing elimination.
Henderson knew he would have to answer for Cole Gordon, so he did.
Oklahoma had the bases loaded with one out while MSU was holding onto a two-run lead; Henderson had Riley Self, he of two hits and no run allowed over the entire month of May over 7 1/3 innings, in the bullpen. Blake Smith, tied for the team lead with three saves and leading the team with a 2.18 earned run average, was also there.
Instead, Henderson turned to Gordon. Gordon joins Smith in that tie with three saves, but his junior season has been plagued with unpredictable ups and downs.
“I didn’t think Riley had nine outs in him and I wanted it later. That’s the absolute right question, it goes to things I’m thinking and I didn’t think Riley had nine outs,” Henderson said. “I thought he had anywhere from three to six and I wanted them all in the eighth or ninth. Crystal ball it, yeah, I would have done that differently.
“(Gordon)’s had a number of good outings for us and I thought the matchups at that point for him were good. It just didn’t happen.”
Gordon has had his moments: he made it through two innings against No. 1 Florida in scoreless fashion just two weeks ago, one week after 1 2/3 scoreless against Kentucky. However, as his 4.87 earned run average entering Friday’s game — and 5.53 after it — suggests, he has had his struggles.
It was only after Gordon faced three batters, retiring none, that Henderson went to Smith, just to watch him struggle, too. Three singles, two walks and a hit batter later, MSU turned to Zach Neff to get the final out of the seven-hit, two-error, nine-run hit.
In it all, misfortune found the Bulldogs. Right fielder Elijah MacNamee fielded a one-run single that ultimately turned into two after his throw home bounced off the discarded bat on the ground, bouncing past Skelton to allow the second run to score.
The four hours, 42 minutes of calamity ended with seven relief pitchers used. It was the first time MSU has allowed 20 runs since 2009 and the first time it’s happened in a NCAA tournament game since Cal State Northridge did it in 1996.
“It’s tough, but it’s the nature of our sport. You have those days,” catcher Dustin Skelton said. “You have to go out there and keep pounding the zone because you will get those ground balls, you will get those double plays.”
Testing that theory in the ninth inning just made the day worse.
Oklahoma added four more runs in the ninth as the inning started with four consecutive doubles. Henderson first hoped to get through the inning with Neff, but then had to turn to Jared Liebelt. Only after Liebelt gave up two doubles, threw two wild pitches and hit a batter did Henderson, more than an hour after he could have the first time, turn to Self, his best reliever from May.
“I wanted to get the game over. I think Jared Liebelt’s had enough,” Henderson said.
Sometimes the best thing about a day is watching it end.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those; clearly, it comes on this stage and this venue, but that’s how it goes,” Henderson said. “Sometimes that’s how the game takes place.
“Our job now is to rebound tomorrow, come back and play as competitive as we have all year.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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