The Missouri baseball team once again fell victim to the longball as Mississippi State hit three home wins in a 13-3 road win in seven innings Friday night at Taylor Stadium.
Mississippi State (33-20, 14-15) plated five runs in the first inning and three in the second. Graduate catcher Joe Powell hit a three-run homer in the first, and senior center fielder Bryce Chance hit a two-run shot an inning later.
Mizzou (16-37, 3-26) got on the board in the third thanks to senior right fielder Cayden Nicoletto’s two-run double.
Sophomore third baseman Ace Reese hit a solo homer in the fourth to extend MSU’s lead to 9-2, but senior catcher Jedier Hernandez’s RBI single in the bottom half again cut the Tigers’ deficit to six.
Bulldogs senior first baseman Hunter Hines broke Rafael Palmeiro’s career home run record in the sixth with a three-run shot — the 68th longball of his career.
A sacrifice fly in the seventh put Mizzou’s back against the wall, and despite the first two batters reaching base in the bottom half, the next three Tigers were retired.
The series and regular-season finale for both teams is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Taylor Stadium.