Chone James’ triple lifts Mississippi State over Ole Miss in series opener
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There may be nothing more important in the state of Mississippi than a Bulldogs-Rebels matchup. Friday night, Mississippi State and Ole Miss tangled on the diamond for the first time this year, and it lived up to the billing.
The Bulldogs and Rebels traded blows throughout the back half of their contest. When the dust settled, though, it was Mississippi State on top, thanks to 2 runs in the top of the ninth. Jacob Parker’s RBI groundout knotted things 4-4. Then, with a runner on third, pinch hitter Chone James came to the plate and swatted the ball the opposite way. Ole Miss right fielder Tristan Bissetta slipped while trying to catch it, resulting in an RBI triple.
Tyler Pitzer, who pitched the 8th inning for Mississippi State, stayed in the game and retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 6 in the country, have now won 6 straight games. The Rebels, ranked No. 18, have lost back-to-back contests. Ole Miss will try to even the series versus Mississippi State on Saturday (2:30 p.m. E.T., ESPN+). The two schools cap the series on Sunday (4:00 p.m. E.T., SEC Network) and play a fourth time on Apr. 28 (7:00 p.m. E.T.)
