Late push falls short for Raiders in season opener

Friday, February 14

Starkville, MS

2:00 PM

Wright State University

0-1

Mississippi State

1-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Wright State	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	1	6	8	4
Mississippi State	1	1	0	0	1	6	0	0	X	9	10	1

Photo by: Joseph Craven

2/14/2020 6:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The Wright State baseball team scored five of the first seven runs on Friday afternoon, but lined into a double play with the bases loaded in the ninth inning as the Raiders fell 9-6 at No. 9 Mississippi State to open the 2020 campaign.

Wright State looks to even the series up on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. from Dudy Noble Field.

After plating three runs in the top of the fifth inning, Wright State led 5-2, only to see Mississippi State answer with seven of the afternoon's final eight runs. The Bulldogs cut into the Raider lead with a single run in the bottom of the fifth before posting a six-run sixth to take a 9-5 lead into the ninth.

In the ninth, Wright State loaded the bases with its first three batters via a hit by pitch and a pair of walks before Mississippi State recorded the first out of the frame on a strikeout. A wild pitch advanced all three runners and cut the deficit to 9-6 before another walk re-loaded the bases. On a 2-1 pitch, Zane Harris ripped a line drive right at the second baseman, who was able to double up the Raider runner at first to end the afternoon as the Bulldogs escaped.

Harris delivered the biggest hit of the game for Wright State earlier on in the fifth, tallying a three-run double to right-center field that broke what had been a 2-2 tie and gave the Raiders the 5-2 advantage momentarily. Quincy Hamilton was the lone Raider with multiple hits, finishing the afternoon 2-for-4 with a walk and a pair of runs scored, while Tyler Black recorded an RBI triple and a pair of walks as well.

Wright State starter Daniel Kreuzer took the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings of work. The right-hander struck out three batters and gave up seven hits, only one for extra bases, with four walks.

Mississippi State got on the board first with single runs in each of the first two innings, using a double play groundout to score in the bottom of the first before an unearned run in the second frame thanks to a Wright State fielding error. The Raiders plated two runs in the top of the third, first when Hamilton walked, stole second and came around to score on back-to-back balks and then added a second run on Black's triple.

Wright State extended the lead to 5-2 after Harris' three-run double in the fifth before the hosts picked up a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout. Mississippi State took control of the game with the six-run sixth, using a two-run single and a double that drove home two more, along with a pair of unearned runs thanks to a Raider throwing error.