LSU-MSU: Slugfest at Starkville

By Glenn Tanner - April 21, 2007

In the middle of the sixth at Starkville, LSU has rallied to tie Mississippi State at 5-5.

The Tigers had cut the lead to one run in the fourth, thanks to an RBI double by Nicholas Pontiff, but the Bulldogs stretched it back out with a couple of runs in the fifth. Joe McCaskill led off with a double and Edward Easley followed with a walk. Both runners moved up on a sac bunt and scored when Brandon Turner lined a single to center to make it 5-2.

LSU immediately answered in the top of the sixth. With one out, Jared Mitchell was hit by a pitch and Jason Lewis doubled him to third. A wild pitch made it 5-3, and after a strikeout, Nicholas Pontiff snuck a big fly just inside the left field foul pole to tie it.

LSU starter Ryan Byrd is out of the game after five innings. Though he started extremely well, allowing only two singles his first time through the order, his final line is ugly -- eight hits, five earned runs, and no strikeouts. TJ Forrest is on in relief.