Mississippi State’s baseball team, ranked ninth nationally, fell 7-2 to Tennessee on Sunday at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs, with a 26-10 record overall and 7-8 in the SEC, struggled to mount sustained offense against the Volunteers’ pitching staff, which limited them to six hits.
Tennessee quickly took control, scoring two runs in the first inning after a leadoff hit-by-pitch, a double, and an RBI single from Henry Ford. A double-play ball brought home another run, giving the Volunteers a 2-0 lead. Mississippi State responded in the fourth, with Aidan Teel singling and later scoring on a groundout, trimming the deficit to 2-1.
The Volunteers expanded their lead in the sixth inning. After a walk and a ground-rule double, Ford added an RBI with a groundout, and Blake Grimmer followed with a run-scoring single to make it 4-1. The Bulldogs showed signs of life in the seventh when Chone James doubled and scored on Reed Stallman’s single, narrowing the gap to 4-2. However, Tennessee pulled away in the ninth, scoring three runs on four hits, including Levi Clark’s two-run double that sealed the game.
Evan Blanco earned the win for Tennessee, allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Bo Rhudy recorded his second save. Charlie Foster took the loss for Mississippi State after giving up four runs in 5 1/3 innings. The Bulldogs’ offensive leaders included Gehrig Frei and Chone James, each with two hits. The team will now travel for a four-game road trip beginning Tuesday at Samford.
Visit www.HailState.com for updates on the baseball program. Fans can follow Mississippi State baseball on social media via ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
