Mississippi State's Connor Hujsak hit a walk-off, two-run home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Diamond Dogs to a 2-1 win over Ole Miss in the opening round of the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
Right hander Brooks Auger made the start for Mississippi State in the opening game of the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss. It's was Auger's fourth start of the season for the Diamond Dogs. Auger set the first three Ole Miss hitters down in order in the first, two on strikeouts. Rebel righty Riley Maddox did likewise to State, strikeouts to Bryce Chance and David Mershon, and a Dakota Jordan fly out to right.
Ole Miss went 1-2-3 in the second as well. Hunter Hines led off the bottom of the second and reached on a throwing error by the second baseman. But Connor Hujsak struck out swinging and Amani Larry hopped into a third-to-second-to-first double play.
Auger punched out all three hitters he faced in the third. Logan Kohler grounded out to second, and Joe Powell and Nolan Stevens both went down looking.
Auger retired the Rebels in order in the fourth. A Chance strikeout, a grounder to first by Mershon, and a line out to left by Jordan got the Bulldogs out in the fourth.
Will Furniss broke up what until that moment had been a perfect game by both pitchers. His drive to the fence in dead center made it 1-0 Ole Miss. Furniss' blast actually went from the top of Hujsak's glove over the barrier. Auger responded by getting the next three Rebels. In the bottom of the fifth, Hines grounded out to the third baseman playing on the right side of the infield and Hujsak popped out to right. Larry got the first hit off Maddox when he lined a double to left with two out. When Kohler was hit by a pitch, MSU had runners at first and second. A wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet. But State could not score when Powell rolled out to short.
Auger again retired the side in the top of the sixth, thanks in large part to a standout defensive effort. Luke Hill singled between short and third, but Chance's throw to Larry was relayed to Hines to cut down Hill trying to return to first. Stevens and Chance ground out to begin the bottom half. Mershon reached safely when his bouncer back to the hill was deflected to third for an infield hit. Mershon went first to third on a two-base throwing error by Maddox. Jordan could not deliver, however. His fly ball to the fence in center ended the inning.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Ole Miss' Jackson Ross singled to left center. A pair of strikeouts ended that opportunity. Hines grounded out, Hujsak struck out, and Larry hopped out to move the game along to the eighth.
For the sixth time in eight innings, Auger retired the Rebels in order. Kohler led off the bottom of the eighth with a single back through the middle of the diamond. The base hit ended Maddox's night and brought left hander Liam Doyle to the mound. Powell did not move the runner on a fly out to right. With Ethan Pulliam pinch hitting, a wild pitch moved Kohler into scoring position. Pulliam struck out for the second out of the inning. When Chance fanned, the frame was finished.
Tyson Hardin came on for Auger in the top of the ninth. He walked the leadoff hitter, the first free pass of the night, and the Rebels had an insurance run on base in the person of 9-hole hitter Eli Berch. Hill's sacrifice bunt to third got Berch to second. Andrew Fischer was intentionally walked. A pop out to short right accounted for the second out of the inning. With Furniss coming to the plate, MSU opted for left handed hurler Tyler Davis. State's southpaw whiffed Furniss to get MSU one final chance at bat. Mershon walked on a 3-2 pitch to begin that at bat. He moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Jordan struck out swinging, the first out of the inning. Hines grounded out to first, moving Mershon to third, but the second out of the inning. All it did was set the stage for Hujsak's heroics.
Game notes and box to come.
