Live Updates: Mississippi State Baseball versus LSU

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs are set to face off against the defending national champion LSU Tigers this weekend at Dudy Noble Field to start conference play. The Bulldogs come into this game limping as they split their game in Biloxi this week, and they also will be without their usual Friday night starter Nate Dohm.

Evan Siary will start the second straight opening game against LSU as last year he started the Friday night game in Baton Rogue. This will put even more pressure on the already struggling Bulldog lineup.

If the Bulldogs want to make postseason play they will have to compete and win games like this on a weekly basis. The time for excuses is over as conference play is here, and the Tigers will not hesitate to embarrass MSU if given the chance. 

Here is how it happened.

What: Mississippi State Bulldogs (13-5) versus LSU Tigers (16-2)

When: Friday (6 p.m. CT), Saturday (4 p.m.), and Sunday (1 p.m.)

Where: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi

TV: SEC Network+ (Friday and Sunday) SEC Network (Saturday)

Series: Mississippi State holds a 217-193-1 advantage over the Tigers. The first matchup came on April 11th, 1907.

Last Meeting: MSU shocked the Tigers a season ago by taking two out of three. The Bulldogs clinched the series in a wild 14-13 win. MSU scored ten unanswered runs.

Last time out, Tigers: LSU won their previous matchup 7-0 over North Dakota State. The Tigers threw six different arms and ended the game with 13 strikeouts.

Last time out, Bulldogs: Mississippi State won their previous matchup 2-1 over New Orleans. The Bulldog offense struggled in this game, but a walk-off hit in the 11th by Aaron Downs was enough to win.

Mississippi State Rotation:

Evan Siary

Khal Stephen

Jurrangelo Cijntje

LSU Rotation:

Luke Holman

Gage Jump

Thatcher Hurd

Top of the 9th

Nate Chester takes over at second and makes the first out.

LSU gets a one-out double.

Stevens issues a walk. Runners on the corners with one out. 

Bottom of the 8th

Larry lines out to left field, one down.

Mershon strikes out but reaches on a wild pitch. 

Mershon steals second. 

Jordan works a walk. Runners on first and second with one out. 

Mershon swipes third. 

Hines nails a three-run home run. The crowd just exploded. 

Hujsak rips a single into left field.

Downs flies out to centerfield. 

Kohler rips an RBI single into right field. 

Long lines out to end the inning. 

MSU leads 10-3.

Top of the 8th

Stevens issues a leadoff walk. 

Stevens gets a strikeout, one down.

Stevens turns a 1-4-3 double play. The Dude is rocking, and Stevens is having a special performance. 

Bottom of the 7th

Kohler strikes out, one down. 

Long lays down a bunt single. 

Long is picked off at first, two down. 

Cupp flies out to right field to end the inning.

Top of the 7th

Kohler makes the grab in foul territory for the first out. 

Stevens picks up his sixth strikeout, two down.

Stevens strikes White out looking for the third out. 

Bottom of the 6th

Mershon works a leadoff walk. 

Mershon steals second. 

Jordan grounds out to White at third for the first out. Mershon stays at second.

LSU will bring in Justin Loer to pitch. 

Mershon swipes third.

Hines strikes out for the second out. 

Hujsak lines an RBI single into left field. 

Downs flies out to shallow right field to end the inning. 

MSU leads 6-3.

Top of the 6th

Stevens gets a strikeout on a filthy breaking ball for the first out. 

Hines fields it and steps on the bag, two down. 

Cupp overthrows Hines, and that is a two-base error. Runner on second with two outs.

Stevens gets a strikeout to end the inning. Really impressive outing for the freshman thus far. 

Bottom of the 5th

Jordan grounds out to the second baseman for the first out. 

Hines launches a solo home run to right field to tie it up.

Hujsak reaches on an infield single. 

Downs grounds into a fielder's choice. Runner on first with two outs. 

Kohler lines a double into left field, and Downs will score from first.

LSU will bring in Gavin Guidry to pitch. 

Long singles up the middle to drive in another run. 

Cupp is hit in the head. Runners on first and second with two outs. 

Larry strikes out to end the inning. 

MSU leads 5-3. 

Top of the 5th

White grounds out to Cupp for the first out. 

Stevens gets a strikeout, two down. 

Another strikeout for Stevens ends the inning. 

Bottom of the 4th

Cupp grounds out to the shortstop for the first out. 

Larry pops out to the first baseman on the first pitch. 

Mershon grounds to end the inning. A quick half-inning for MSU.

Top of the 4th

Siary issues a leadoff walk. 

Another walk, two on and no outs.

MSU will bring in Nolan Stevens.

Hujsak makes the grab for the first out. 

Pearson grounds into a fielder's choice. Runners on the corners with two outs.

Stevens gets a big strikeout to end the inning.

Bottom of the 3rd

Jordan beats the shift for a leadoff single. 

Hines hits it hard, but right at the right fielder for the first out.

Hujsak grounds into a fielder's choice and advances to second on a throwing error. Runner on second with two outs. 

Downs lines an RBI single into left field. 

Kohler works a walk. Runners on first and second with two outs.

Long grounds out to the third baseman, who steps on the bag.

MSU trails 3-2. 

Top of the 3rd

Hujsak makes a nice grab on the run, one down.

Pearson ties it up with a solo home run to right field. 

Bingham knocks a single into left field. 

White hits a two-run home run to right field. Siary is struggling the second time through the lineup. 

Milam flies out to Hujsak in deep centerfield. 

Jones smokes a double off the left field wall. 

Siary gets a strikeout for the third out. Big inning for the Bulldog bats. 

Bottom of the 2nd

Downs smokes a single into left field. 

Kohler strikes out swinging, one down. 

Long gets a swinging bunt, and he is thrown out. Runner on second with two outs.

Cupp reaches on an infield single. Runners on the corners with two outs.

Larry drops an RBI single into left field. 

Mershon strikes out looking to end the inning. 

MSU leads 1-0.

Top of the 2nd

Cupp makes the throw to Hines, one down. 

Hujsak makes a diving attempt, but it gets past him. Runner on second with one out. 

Hujsak makes the grab, and the runner advances to third. 

Downs makes the grab in left for the third out. 

Bottom of the 1st

Larry grounds a single up the middle to lead off the inning.

Mershon flies out to left field for the first out. 

Jordan grounds through the shift for a single. Runners on first and second with one out. 

Hines strikes out looking, two down. 

Hujsak grounds out to the second baseman to end the inning.

The score is tied at zero. 

Top of the 1st

The first pitch from Siary is in there for strike one.

Hujsak makes the catch in center field for the first out.

Jordan makes the grab on the warning track, two down.

Nice backhand play by Mershon to end the inning.