STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Arkansas Razorbacks completed their 2016 baseball year on a school-worst 13-game losing streak, falling to Mississippi State 9-4 as the Bulldogs completed a three-game Southeastern Conference West sweep for the league's regular-season championship Saturday night at Dudy Noble Field.
The Razorbacks (26-29, 7-23), finishing with a losing record for the first time in 14 seasons under coach Dave Van Horn, outhit Mississippi State (40-14-1, 21-9) 13-12, but three errors cost them a chance at ending the skid. The Hogs took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Clark Eagan's two-run home run, but they didn't score again until Cody Scroggins' and Michael Bernal's RBI singles in the eighth, just cutting it to the final margin at that point.
Arkansas starter Blaine Knight allowed just two runs (one earned) in four innings, and the score was still tied before the Bulldogs scored four in the fifth. Jordan Rodriguez (0-1) retired the first two batters he faced before a two-out error kept the inning alive.
After Rodriguez departed, Doug Willey surrendered a Gavin Collins RBI double for a 3-2 lead. Willey then loaded the bases before Carson Shaddy dropped a fly ball in center field, allowing all three runs to score.
Mississippi State also had a three-run seventh, scoring all runs with two outs again. John Holland hit a run-scoring single before Jack Kruger struck a two-run, bases-loaded single.
Ryan Rigby (5-1) was the winning pitcher in relief, striking out six while allowing just two hits and a hit batsman in 4 2/3 innings. Arkansas' bullpen was tagged for six runs, but only three were earned.
Arkansas joins Auburn as the two schools failing to qualify for this week's SEC tournament at Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas 200 000 020 -- 4 13 3
Miss. State 011 040 30X -- 9 12 1
Knight, Rodriguez (5), Willey (5), Jackson (6), Dahl (8) and Pennell. Pilkington, Rigby (3), Brown (8), Smith (8) and Kruger. W-Rigby, 5-1. L-Rodriguez, 0-1. HR-Arkansas, Eagan (7). 2B-Mississippi State, Collins (11). S-Mississippi State, Robson (1). SB-Arkansas, Nomura (6). Mississippi State, Mangum 2 (6), Kruger 2 (6), Robson 2 (17).
Sports on 05/23/2016