STARKVILLE — Chris Lemonis knows Mississippi State usually wins games like Friday’s series opener against Northern Kentucky at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs faced a 7-3 deficit against the winless Norse headed into the bottom of the seventh inning, but when MSU loaded the bases with just one out, the gears were turning. A big inning and a comeback win seemed to be on the horizon. Lemonis had seen that before.

“Teams in the past, successful teams, they get that big hit,” he said.

But not Mississippi State. Not this game. Not this night.

An RBI groundout by Logan Tanner plated the only run of the inning before Hunter Hines struck out, deflating Dudy Noble and much of the Bulldogs’ comeback hopes. MSU loaded the bases in the eighth and added two more runs, but it wasn’t enough.

Despite so much pointing in its favor, Mississippi State (2-3) couldn’t get it done Friday in a 7-6 loss to Northern Kentucky (1-3) that made Bulldogs coach Chris Lemonis “embarrassed by the way we played.”

MSU couldn’t win with ace starter Landon Sims on the mound. Not against an NKU pitcher touting an ERA of 162. Not against a team that was swept last weekend by East Tennessee State.

“We’re just not playing tough baseball right now in every phase of the game, so we’re going to have to get better,” Lemonis said.

The Bulldogs’ two losses last weekend to Long Beach State were understandable. The Dirtbags came in with the No. 24 ranking in the country and moved up to No. 12 by the time their successful weekend in Starkville came to a close.

But Northern Kentucky? The Norse allowed 12 or more runs in every game last weekend against ETSU, allowing 10 or more hits in each contest. Mississippi State had just four hits Friday despite its six-run total.

Mississippi State hit just 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, and one of the hits didn’t even score a run. Tanner Leggett’s second-inning single gave him an RBI, but pinch-hitter Von Seibert’s grounder through the left side with men on first and second and none out in the eighth couldn’t scratch a run across.

A fielder’s choice and wild pitch produced two runs, closing the deficit to one. But after Kamren James drew a walk, Luke Hancock chased a 2-1 pitch and chopped it to first base, ending the inning.

Hancock pointed to his unsuccessful plate appearance as one of several for the Bulldogs throughout the game.

“I just have to be patient there and wait on a good pitch to hit. You just have to stay within yourself,” Hancock said. “You have to swing at your pitch, don’t chase, just take what the pitcher gives you, and I don’t think we did that too well tonight.”

One reason for that, according to Lemonis, was that “everyone’s trying to hit a tank” — even with home runs at a premium on a chilly night in Starkville. Only freshman Hunter Hines accomplished that task, proving to be an emphatic exception with a 433-foot blast to right field.

But Hines merely had a solo shot to lead off the sixth inning, and he and his teammates couldn’t get it done when it counted.

“We didn’t need a home run,” Lemonis said. “You probably weren’t going to hit a home run today unless it was down the line. You needed a good piece of hitting. We’re not getting it right now.”

Mississippi State’s pitching was also suspect, with Sims’ final numbers belying an inconsistent performance. Three of the four runs he allowed in five innings went down as unearned due to a tough-luck error on James to start the third inning.

Northern Kentucky struggled with Sims’ slider but was mostly on his fastball to the tune of six hits and several hard-hit outs. Sims struck out just four batters after 13 strikeouts last week against Long Beach State.

“He just left some balls over the middle of the plate,” Lemonis said.

Just like last Friday’s game, relievers Parker Stinnett and Cam Tullar struggled in relief of Sims before Stone Simmons put out the fire. Stinnett and Tullar combined to allow three runs in 1.2 innings; Simmons finished the game with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Lemonis acknowledged the Furman transfer should probably. be the first man out of the bullpen next time around, although it was too late Friday to keep the Norse from further scoring.

Tullar’s consecutive bases-loaded walks in the seventh gave NKU the insurance it turned out to need. Mississippi State went down 1-2-3 in the ninth inning, handing the Norse the series opener without much of a fight.

“To see them come out on top tonight, especially on Friday night whenever we have one of the best pitchers in the country going, it sucks,” Hancock said. “We have to do better.”

Hancock said the team gathered for a “little talk” after its Feb. 19 loss to Long Beach State and would probably do so again after Friday’s game. Mississippi State whipped the Dirtbags 12-4 on Sunday to close the series, and the Bulldogs need a much better performance Saturday against Northern Kentucky.

“We have to play better,” Hancock said. “That’s what Mississippi State’s about. You have to play good baseball, and tonight, we didn’t do that.”

Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.