AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 5-run seventh led No. 11 Texas to its first win in Southeastern Conference play 8-7 over Mississippi State on Friday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
The Bulldogs made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth after a 2-run double by Ace Reese put the tying run in scoring position, but freshman left-hander Dylan Volantis got Noah Sullivan to ground out to end the game. Sullivan was 3-for-4 with a home run to that point, but Volantis got him to roll over on a pitch low in the strike zone.
Andre Duplantier was awarded the win in relief of starting pitcher Jared Spencer. Duplantier didn’t allow a hit in three innings, but control was an issue with three walks that led to two earned runs. Spencer struck out seven in 5.2 innings with a walk, but as a typical SEC game goes, he allowed five runs on eight hits, three of which were for extra bases.
Rylan Galvan hit a 2-run home run in the second and Casey Borba launched a 3-run homer in the seventh. Borba’s blast fueled the big inning that flipped the game, turning a 5-3 lead for the Bulldogs into an 8-5 lead for the Longhorns. Galvan hit a 2-run single before Borba left the yard.
Texas was perfect with runners in scoring position, going 3-for-3, and they were 5-for-10 with runners on. Both teams had nine hits, but Mississippi State left six runners on base.
Borba, Galvan, Kimble Schuessler and Ethan Mendoza all had two hits for the Longhorns. Mendoza hit a triple in the sixth inning and later scored on a throwing error. Mississippi State catcher Ross Highfill went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a home run.
Texas spoiled a solid start by Mississippi State pitcher Pico Kohn. He struck out six in six innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits. Chase Hungate was tagged with the loss, allowing three earned runs on four hits in a third of an inning.
The game was moved up two hours due to storms going through the Starkville area, and outside of a small shower in the second inning, the weather cooperated. It’s not supposed to be baseball weather in the area Saturday, so the teams will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Sunday to finish the series. Both games will be seven innings.
