STARKSVILLE, Miss. — A late rally came up short Friday for the Missouri Tigers in a 4-3 loss to Mississippi State.
The Tigers also dropped Thursday’s game against the Bulldogs, 8-2.
Missouri had runners at the corners with one out in the ninth, but a strikeout and groundout ended it at 4-3.
Brian Sharp singled in a run to get the Tigers within one.
Jake Ring had two hits and two RBI for the Tigers.
Tanner Houck (4-5) took the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks in 71/3 innings. He struck out five.
On Thursday, the Tigers got on the board first in the second inning when Zach Lavy scored from third on a Sharp groundout.
Mississippi State scored two runs in the bottom half on a solo home run and an RBI single.
The Bulldogs then added three in the fifth and single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth.
Missouri plated its second run in the ninth when Lavy scored on a throwing error on a Brett Bond grounder.
Lavy led Missouri with three hits. Ryan Howard had two hits.
Reggie McClain (4-3) gave up seven runs on 15 hits and a walk while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.
Dakota Hudson (7-3) pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out 11.
Missouri falls to 24-24 overall and 7-16 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs improve to 32-14-1 overall and 14-9 in the SEC.
Game 3 of the series is at 4 p.m. today.