Mississippi State baseball improved to 15-2 on the year on Tuesday, overturning a five-run deficit to defeat Tulane 11-7 at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi for the Hancock Whitney Classic.
The No. 3-ranked Diamond Dawgs traveled to the Gulf Coast for its last nonconference test before SEC play begins at No. 6 Arkansas on Friday. The Green Wave (9-8) proved to be up for the challenge, taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning with a string of hits against MSU starter Charlie Foster. The lefty would last just 2.1 innings for MSU before head coach Brian O’Connor went to the bullpen, but the staff found trouble throughout the day. Tulane’s batters would record 10 hits as a team and added two more runs in the fourth inning and took a 7-2 lead with a three-run seventh inning.
Facing the prospect of a third loss in six games, the Bulldogs had to come from behind, but nmanaged to flip the game on its head in the bottom of the seventh.
The rally began with singles from Andrew Raymond and Vytas Valincius, and though Bryce Chance struck out, the bases were loaded for Ace Reese after a disciplined walk by Drew Wyers. Reese worked a full count before launching a grand slam over the wall in left center, shrinking the deficit to just one run with one swing of the bat.
The Bulldogs kept finding breaks as Noah Sullivan reached second base on an error, and got home with an RBI single from Reed Stallman. Gehrig Frei kept it going with an RBI hit of his own, and Chone James got him home after taking Raymond’s place in the order.
In the blink of an eye, MSU was in the lead 9-7.
Two more runs in the eighth inning and a calm closeout job by Chris Billingsley Jr. and Ben Davis sealed the deal.
MSU begins SEC play in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks on Friday at 6 p.m.
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