OXFORD, MS ? The Indiana State Sycamores gave up 21 hits and 11 runs Saturday night as the fourth ranked Mississippi defeated Indiana State 11-4.
Ole' Miss took the early lead with a run in the second inning but the Sycamores came back to tie the game in the top of the third. Pascual Del Real hit a double down the right field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Bronco Lafrenz followed with a single, also down the right field line, to score Del Real with the game tying run.
Mississippi, however, scored four times in the bottom half of the third and added single runs in the fourth and seventh to build a 7-1 lead.
Indiana State came back with a run in the eighth as Lafrenz singled with one out and Ryan Strausborger reached on a fielding error by Ole' Miss pitcher McKean on an attempted sacrifice bunt. Chris Schmidt then reached on a fielder's choice that got Strausborger out at second.
The Sycamores took advantage of another McKean wild pitch that allowed Brian Ramirez to reach first safely after striking out swinging, which loaded the bases. Brady Shoemaker was then hit by a pitch that allowed Lafrenz to score from third. Indiana State could not push another run across the plate in the inning.
Ole' Miss was able to come up with four in the bottom half of the eighth to build an 11-2 lead.
In the top of the ninth, the Sycamores fought back. Gary King reached on a Mississippi error and advanced to second on the play. Cole Standridge pinch hit for Nick Ciolli and singled. King and Standridge both advanced on another Mississippi error with King scoring on the play.
After Brian Jett struck out pinch hitting for Del Real, Ben Caple pinch hit for Lafrenz and singled to right, scoring Standridge. The Sycamores were unable to score another run.
Lafrenz went 2-for-3 on the night with two singles and an RBI while Chris Schmidt remained hot at the plate, going 2-for-4, both singles. Del Real had a double while Caple, Standridge, and Ramirez had a single each.
Brian Oliver started on the mound for Indiana State and went three and a third innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits while striking out one and walking two in picking up his first loss of the year.
Indiana State, 1-4 on the year, will play more game against the University of Mississippi, that coming Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (ET)
