LSU struggled behind the plate once again as LSU only hit the ball six times compared to Mississippi State’s 16.
Mississippi State was too much to handle for No.2 LSU as the Bulldogs won 10-4 to take th first game of the series at Dudy-Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
LSU drops to 16-3 overall and 0-1 in SEC play. Mississippi State improved to 14-5 and a 1-0 start going into to conference play.
Two key players in Mississippi State’s upset victory over LSU were first baseman Hunter Hines and reliever Nolan Stevens.
Hines went 2-for-5 from the plate with two home runs and four RBIs.
Stevens (2-0) was rewarded with win after he limited the Tigers to one run on one hit in 5.2 innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.
LSU starting pitcher Luke Holman (4-1), who has been a machine all season, finally looked human. Holman was charged with the loss after he allowed five runs – two earned – on 10 hits in 4.2 innings with one walk and three strikeouts.
“We can take some things from this game that will make us a better team,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “We’ll address those when we get back to the hotel and get ready for Saturday. Credit to Mississippi State, they put together good at-bats and they played well tonight.”
The Bulldogs drew first blood when designated hitter Amani Larry lined an RBI single off of Holaman to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead .
LSU struck for three runs in the third against MSU starter Evan Siary as rightfielder Josh Peason launched a solo homer. Pearson’s homer was followed by a single from left fielder Mac Bingham and a two-run dinger from third baseman Tommy White.
Mississippi State narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when leftfielder Aaron Downs delivered a run-scoring single.
The Bulldogs took a 5-3 lead in the fifth that was after a solo home run from Hines and two RBI singles from third baseman Logan Kohler and catcher Johnny Long.
MSU added a run in the sixth on an RBI single by centerfielder Connor Hujsak, and the Bulldogs scored four runs in the eighth as Hines punctuated the inning with a three-run homer. Kohler added another RBI single to his column in the eighth inning as well.
Pearson’s RBI groundout in the top of the ninth accounted for the final margin.