University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
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Mississippi State
Baseball Season Ends with Regional Loss to Mississippi State - UNC Asheville Bulldogs Official Athletics Site
01.01.1970 | Baseball
June 3, 2006
CLEMSON, S.C. - - UNC Asheville's magical season ended Saturday afternoon but not before the Bulldogs put up one terrific fight against one of the nation's top programs.
Mississippi State, who was ranked #1 in the country early in the season, held off UNC Asheville, 5-4 in an elimination game at the Clemson Regional.
The Bulldogs (28-35) trailed 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth but quickly loaded the bases with nobody out. Kyle Smith led off with a single, followed by J.K. Whited being hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Tony Wall then stunned the MSU defense with a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out.
However, MSU reliever Justin Pigott was able to get Kevin Mattison to ground into a double-play. Smith scored on the play to carve the lead to 5-4. Matt Henson then grounded out to second to end the game and allow Mississippi State to sneak out the victory.
UNC Asheville had lost to top-seeded Clemson earlier in the day, 3-0.
"I'm incredibly proud of our guys today," stated Asheville coach Willie Stewart. "We played two of the top programs in the country this afternoon and played pretty darn well. We were a hit away from winning this game against Mississippi State.
"It's tough right now but this team accomplished things that the program has never accomplished," added Stewart. "We hope to build on this and hopefully come back in the future."
Mississippi State opened the scoring in the first inning with two runs. Jeffrey Rea reached on an infield single to open the game. Edward Easley hit a ground-ball back to DeRatt, who threw the ball away, trying to get Ret at second base. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Thomas Berkery hit a fly ball to deep center field that was caught by Kevin Mattison. However, both Rea and Easley advanced to second and third on the play.
Brian LaNinfa then doubled into the left-field corner, scoring both Rea and Easley to push MSU in front, 2-0.
UNC Asheville had its first serious threat in the fourth inning. Matt Henson led off with a double down the left-field line. Elliott Arrington singled up the middle to put runners on first and third with nobody out.
But the Bulldogs couldn't score. Rob Vernon tried to squeeze a run in but hit into a fielder's choice as Henson did not advance.
MSU starter Josh Johnson then struck out Edmund Locklear for the second out of the inning. Charles Pippitt battled Johnson to a 3-2 count. Pippitt fouled off three pitches before being called out on strikes on the inside corner.
Mississippi State came right back after the Asheville threat with three runs to push the lead to 5-0. With one out, Easley doubled to deep center field. He went to third on a wild pitch. Berkery was intentionally walked to put runners on first and third.
LaNinfa struck again when he hit a three-run homer to right field for a 5-0 MSU lead.
However, UNC Asheville would finally strike for its first runs of the day in the bottom of the fifth. The Bulldogs bottom part of the order produced three straight singles off Johnson as Kyle Smith, J.K. Whited and Steve Burnich all reached to load the bases.
One out later, Matt Henson drove in Asheville's first runs of the tournament with a two-run single to right-field as the Bulldogs cut the lead to 5-2. Elliott Arrington singled sharply to left to score Burnich as Asheville narrowed the lead to 5-3.
That ended the day for Johnson as reliever Aaron Weatherford came on for MSU. Weatherford got one out before facing Locklear. Locklear sent a long fly to deep center field that Mississippi State center-fielder Joseph Hunter caught one step from the wall.
DeRatt took the loss for Asheville to fall to 8-5. Reliever Ben Buchanan pitched the final three innings and did not allow a run. He scattered two hits, struck out two and walked one.
