Next Game: Mississippi State 5/5/2018 | 6 p.m. SEC Network+

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball dropped a back-and-forth battle with Mississippi State, 14-12, in 10 innings on Friday night at Sewell Thomas Stadium. With the loss, the Crimson Tide moves to 23-24 on the season and 5-17 in SEC play.

"It was an absolutely crazy game," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon . "Our kids came out ready. Chandler Taylor got the big grand slam to get us going early. We came back out and gave up five runs, but our kids responded. (Sam) Finnerty goes the next 5.0 innings and gives up one hit. He did a great job of settling the game."

The two teams traded runs all night in a contest that featured five lead changes. The Tide carried an 11-5 lead into the eighth inning, but the Bulldogs rallied for seven runs in the top of the eighth to gain a 12-11 advantage. Alabama responded, scoring one in the bottom the eighth to tie things up at 12 apiece and a scoreless ninth sent the game into extras. State took back the lead on a two-run home run to go up 14-12, the eventual final.

"The eighth inning was just crazy, you're not supposed to get that many singles in a row," Bohannon added. "With that being said, our kids came in and scored one in the bottom of the eighth, and I was really proud of them. We just couldn't close it out. It was one of those nights where it's really offensive at the park. It felt like everything everybody hit was finding a hole, and they found a few more than we did."

The Alabama offense was led by freshman Sam Praytor , who contributed a season-high four hits along with a pair of runs scored, an RBI and one walk. Junior Chandler Taylor led the team in RBI, finishing with four as part of his 1-for-3 night with a grand slam, two walks and one run. Juniors Cobie Vance and Keith Holcombe each added three RBI apiece as part of their two-hit efforts, with Vance adding a home run and two runs scored while Holcombe tallied a double and a walk.

Alabama struck first in Friday's series opener, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first to grab the early lead. The inning began with back-to-back singles from Vance and junior Joe Breaux , before Praytor reached on a one-out single to load the bases for the Tide. Taylor took advantage of his opportunity, sending a grand slam to left to give the Tide a 4-0 advantage after one inning of play.

Mississippi State answered in the next half inning, plating five runs to move in front by one. The Bulldogs used a leadoff single and a walk to place runners on first and second before a RBI-single in the next at-bat crossed their first run of the day. After a fielding miscue by the Tide loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly plated one run for the Bulldogs. One out later, a three-run homer to right field capped the inning's scoring and placed MSU in front, 5-4.

The two teams went scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Tide scored three to regain the lead. Senior Chandler Avant began the scoring sequence, sending a one-out single to center before Praytor collected his second hit of the day with a single to left. A hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Holcombe, who cleared them with a double to left-center for three runs and a Tide lead at 7-5.

Alabama added four more runs across the sixth and seventh innings to extend the lead. The Tide used a two-out rally to add a single tally in the sixth. Back-to-back singles from Breaux and Avant placed runners on first and second before Praytor singled to score one, making it an 8-5 game.

Junior Kyle Kaufman led things off in the seventh with an infield single. After a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second, Vance connected on a deep shot to left for a three-run home run to set the score at 11-5 in favor of the Tide. The three-run roundtripper marked the junior's third consecutive game with a homer – the first time in his career that he has accomplished that feat.

The Bulldogs rallied for a six-hit, seven-run eighth inning to take a 12-11 lead, but Alabama would respond with a run of its own to even the score in the bottom of the eighth. Avant led off with an infield single before Praytor followed with another single to put runners on first and second. In the next at-bat, sophomore Walker McCleney reached on a bunt single and an errant throw allowed a run to score and tie the contest at 12 apiece heading into the ninth.

Mississippi State scored two in the 10th inning to retake the lead. A one-out single put a runner on before a two-run home run to left broke the tie and set things at 14-12. The Tide would not go quietly in the 10th, however. Holcombe led off with a single and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. One out later, pinch-hitter Matt Malkin was hit by a pitch to place two aboard, with the junior representing the tying run. The next at-bat resulted in a lineout to short with a throw behind the runner at second getting the game's final out and finishing things in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Crimson Tide will look to even the series tomorrow night in game two of the weekend. Alabama will call on senior right-hander Jake Walters , while MSU counters with sophomore left-hander Ethan Small. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

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