Video: Robby in Hattiesburg – MSU Tops UIC, Advances to Sunday Night Eliminator

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WCBI/AP) —Konnor Pilkington allowed one run in seven innings before tiring in the eighth, reliever Riley Self pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, and Mississippi State held on for a 5-4 victory over Illinois-Chicago on Sunday in the NCAA tournament’s Hattiesburg regional.

The Bulldogs (37-25) advanced to play in another elimination game Sunday night, while Illinois-Chicago (39-17) was eliminated, losing a second-straight one-run game with the bases loaded in the ninth.

Pilkington (8-5) got the victory after leaving the game with a 5-3 lead.

UIC tightened the gap in the eighth, when Mickey McDonald singled home two runs and Rob Calabrese’s infield single cut the gap to one, but Self struck out Ricardo Ramirez to end that threat. After loading the bases in the ninth, Self struck out David Cronin and induced a fielder’s choice from Cody Bohanek to end it.

The Bulldogs scored three in the fourth, when Elijah MacNamee, Cole Gordon and Brent Rooker each produced run-scoring hits.

UIC starter Reid Birlingmair (7-5) took the loss after yielding five runs in 4 2/3 innings.