STARKVILLE, Miss. – Utah Valley University fell short in its bid to take a series at No. 21 Mississippi State, falling 5-3 in the Sunday's rubber match of the three-games set.
Four Wolverines (5-9) had two-hit days, including
David Modler, who doubled for the third straight game and fourth time in the series. The Bulldogs (10-6) took advantage of a pair of UVU errors in the contest, with all five runs scored coming in unearned.
Modler walked and scored in the first, scoring on a two-out base hit by Ryan Eastburn to give Utah Valley a 1-0 lead. Mississippi State tied it with a run in the third after the inning was extended on a two-out error before Tanner Allen doubled home the game-tying run.
The Bulldogs put up four runs in the fourth with Rowdey Jordan's three-run home run breaking the 1-1 tie. Mississippi State had three straight two-out hits with Jordan's home run followed by a Jake Mangum single, a steal of second and then an RBI base hit by Hunter Stovall.
Modler and
Trevor Peterson led off UVU's half of the sixth with back-to-back doubles and Pacen Hayes flew to the warning track in left to drive in a second run to get the Wolverines within two, 5-3.
The Wolverines looked like they would add a run in the sixth when after Howell was hit by a pitch with two outs and Modler drove a ball into the right-center gap. But Jake Mangum made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning and strand Howell.
In the ninth, Drew Sims doubled in the corner in right with one out to bring the potential tying run to the plate. But
Jake Berry flew out and pinch hitter Michael Beltran grounded back to the pitcher to end it.
Both teams finished with nine hits on the day. Walker Ramsey (1-3) suffered the loss for UVU after lasting six innings and striking out a pair while allowing six hits and the five unearned runs.
Marco Briones pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Jacob Billingsley (2-0) lasted five innings and allowed one run on four hits, striking out four, and earned the win. JP France picked up his first save after tossing the ninth inning for the Bulldogs.
The Wolverines will end their stretch of 18 straight road games to start the season with a contest at BYU on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before a three-games series at UC Irvine beginning Friday in Southern California.
