University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Downed 4-3 in 12th by Mississippi St
April 25, 2008 | Baseball
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STARKVILLE, Miss. ??? Mississippi State freshman Michael Busby delivered a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning Friday to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 series-opening win over the Tennessee baseball team at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases against UT reliever Joey Rosas with one out in the bottom of the 12th, setting the stage for Busby???s walkoff single through the left side of the Volunteers infield. The Big Orange fell to 24-18 (10-9 SEC) with the loss, while Mississippi State improved to 17-25 (5-14 SEC).
Tennessee starting pitcher Nick Hernandez was saddled with his sixth no-decision of the season despite a tremendous seven-inning outing. Rosas took the loss to fall to 3-2. And Bulldogs All-America closer Aaron Weatherford logged his second win of the year with a strong 2 1/3 inning relief stint.
Hernandez???s outstanding performance saw him limit the Bulldogs to a pair of runs on just five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in seven innings. The sophomore from Miami, Fla., has not issued a walk in his last 20 1/3 innings pitched, and he has just seven walks in 61 2/3 total innings pitched this season.
Offensively, the Vols were paced by senior second baseman Andy Simunic, who recorded three hits, scored a run and drew a walk.
After the Vols left runners on the corners in the top of the first, Mississippi State plated one run on two hits in the bottom of the frame. Bulldogs leadoff man Grant Hogue doubled, took third on an error and then scored the game???s first run on an RBI groundout by Ryan Collins.
The Vols used a walk, a basehit and a hit batsman to load the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore shortstop and Booneville, Miss., native Cody Grisham drove in Tennessee???s first run with an RBI sacrifice fly, and centerfielder Kentrail Davis followed with a go-ahead RBI single.
Tennessee left fielder Shawn Griffin led off the top of the fifth with a solo homer to left-center. It was the senior???s third home run in UT???s last two games, his team-leading 11th of the season and his ninth bomb in the month of April.
Bulldogs catcher Ryan Duffy made it a one-run game with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the sixth. Prior to Duffy???s longball???which was MSU???s third hit of the night???Hernandez had retired the previous 13 Bulldogs batters.
Mississippi State tallied back-to-back basehits to lead off the bottom of the seventh, putting the potential go-ahead run on first base. Hernandez responded by getting MSU first baseman Tyler Moore to strikeout looking before inducing an inning-ending double-play ball.
The Bulldogs threatened again in the bottom of the eighth, placing runners on the corners with one out. But Vols right fielder Josh Liles produced a defensive gem to keep Tennessee???s 3-2 lead intact. Hogue sent what looked to be a game-tying sacrifice fly into right field, and MSU second baseman Jet Butler started on a sprint toward the plate as soon as Liles made the catch for out No. 2. Liles unleashed a perfect throw home, however, and UT catcher Yan Gomes was able to apply the inning-ending tag for the Vols??? third double play of the night.
The drama continued into the bottom of the ninth, as Collins led off with a triple down the right-field line. He scored the tying run two batters later on an RBI groundout by MSU designated hitter Cody Freeman.
Liles produced a two-out double in the top of the 10th to give the Vols a man in scoring position, and Simunic then drew an intentional walk before the Bulldogs summoned Weatherford to the mound to face Tennessee true freshman P.J. Polk.
A successful double-steal by Liles and Simunic gave the Big Orange men on second and third, but Weatherford recorded a clutch strikeout to send the game into the bottom of the 10th. The Vols left a man on second in the 11th and went down in order in the top of the 12th.
Tennessee reliever Danny Wiltz took over for Hernandez in the eighth and gave the Vols three solid innings in which he was touched for one run on four hits with a walk and two Ks.
Seven of the last eight games between the Vols and Bulldogs have been decided by a single run.
The series resumes Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. Tennessee???s starting pitcher will be redshirt-freshman left-hander Bryan Morgado (4-2, 3.22 ERA), while MSU will send sophomore right-hander Ricky Bowen (2-4, 7.02 ERA) to the hill.
