OMAHA, Neb. – It was the first lead change of the CWS.
Marshall Gilbert had an RBI single off the pitcher’s glove to cap a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth as sixth-seeded Mississippi State nipped Auburn 5-4 in Game 4 of the 2019 College World Series Sunday evening in front of 22,671 fans at TD Ameritrade Park.
“I give our guys credit,” MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said, “we fought to the last out and just kept competing and it’s something we’ve talked about all year. It’s a little bit of a frustrating night because we had a couple opportunities to drive in some runs and we didn’t, but at the very end, just the grit of our ball club played out and we were able to put some balls in play.”
The Bulldogs (52-13) had managed just one run and had stranded 11 over the first eight innings. Jake Mangum, the SEC career leaders in hits, had a leadoff double to start the ninth. Sophomore Tanner Burns came in from the bullpen for the Tigers (38-27), his first career relief appearance. He struck out Jordan Westburg for the first out, then walked Tanner Allen. Elijah MacNamee doubled down the left field line, driving in Mangum and moving Allen to third.
“I know he was throwing a lot of heaters,” MacNamee said, “so I stayed aggressive. I wasn’t doing well at-bats previously, so I stayed with it. I know that he was looking for pitches around the zone, so I continued to be aggressive and said, put this ball in play, stay on top, do anything I can to help this team win.”
Justin Foscue grounded out to short, bringing home Allen to make it a one-run contest.
Dustin Skelton hit a bouncer to Edouard Julien at third. Julien seemed distracted by MacNamee coming from second to third. Julien’s throw to first was wild, allowing MacNamee to score and Skelton ending up at second. Rowdey Jordan was intentionally walked and Josh Hatcher beat out a grounder to third to load the bases.
Gilbert went after the first pitch and hit the ball off the glove of Burns that found its way into center field to plate Skelton with the game-winning run.
“First of all,” Gilbert said, “I was in awe by everybody that was able
to get the job done before me. It was incredible the fact we could get to that
point to where I was coming up to the plate, and all the at-bats prior to that
I had kind of been a little off, missed some pitches, and I kept getting
encouragement from my teammates saying, Keep going, keep going, don’t quit.
“My last at-bat going up there, I knew he was going to have a good fastball.
I knew they were going to keep him in the game and save it for me but I
struggled with velo against Greenhill before. So I was looking to get the job
done, get on top and stay short, like something I’ve been doing all year.”
MSU starter Ethan Small struck out the first five Tigers. Rankin Woley had an infield single to third to break the streak. Julien crushed a homer to the back row of the bleachers in right center, his 10th of the season, to give Auburn an early 2-0 edge. The ball was estimated to have traveled 429 feet, matching the TD Ameritrade Park CWS distance record by Peter Alonso of Florida against Virginia in 2015.
The Tigers took advantage of control issues by Small to add to their lead in the fourth. Conor Davis drew a walk, but was erased on a double play. Steven Williams and Woley both walked before Julien singled to center to plate Williams, giving AU a 3-0 advantage.
Small would leave after five innings, his shortest outing of the season. He allowed three hits, three walks and three runs with eight strikeouts.
MSU put together a two-out rally in the fifth. Mangum had a single to right and moved to second on a walk to Westburg. Allen hit a shot to Woley at first. He tossed to pitcher Jack Owen, whose foot was near the bag, but not in contact. The first base umpire ruled safe, and replay confirmed. Owen got MacNamee to foul out to first to end the threat.
The Bulldogs threatened again in the sixth. Foscue had a leadoff single and moved to second when Skelton walked, ending the night for Owen. Elliott Anderson came in and got Jordan to ground to Julien at third. He stepped on the bag for the first out. Gunner Halter followed with a single to right to drive in Skelton with the first MSU run. Cody Greenhill took over on the mound and fanned Gilbert for the second out. Mangum was plunked to load the bases. Westburg lined out to right to leave sacks loaded for second straight inning.
Owen finished with 5.0 innings, six hits, one run, three walks and one strikeout.
Auburn added an insurance run in the eighth. With two away, Will Holland was hit by a pitch. Holland rounded third on a single to right center by Williams and put on the brakes, diving back into third. The throw to third was off target, allowing Holland to score the fourth run for the Tigers.
Cole Gordon (5-0) allowed one hit and struck out three in the top of the ninth for the Bulldogs, putting himself in position for the win.
“Tough one tonight,” Auburn
head coach Butch Thompson said. “I thought we played an unbelievable game.
A lot of engagement, a lot of fun. I thought our guys really battled against
arguably 2019’s best starting pitcher in college baseball. Really worked the
pitch count. Of course Edouard Julien had the first big swing and then a third
run on an RBI.”
MSU will now face No. 2 Vanderbilt on Tuesday at 6
p.m. CT. Auburn takes
on No. 7 Louisville in an elimination game on Tuesday at 1 p.m. CT.