STARKVILLE, Miss. - Defending national champion and No. 23 Mississippi State snapped a 5-5 tie with an eight-run eighth inning that carried the Bulldogs (11-7) to a 13-5 win over visiting Binghamton baseball (3-10) Monday night at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bearcats led three different times and had their SEC hosts on their heels for much of the game before the critical eighth. In that frame, Mississippi State used three walks and three steals to set the table and then hit three straight home runs to pull away. Binghamton was only outhit 11-9 and might've plated more runs if not for nine baserunners left stranded. With the conference opener just four days away, BU utilized seven pitchers in short stints. 

Sophomore starter Justin Rosner worked the first 2.1 innings and allowed just one earned run with three strikeouts. Junior closer Jack Collins came in and tossed 2.2 innings with four strikeouts and just one run allowed. 

At the plate, junior catcher Connor Aoki went 2-for-3 with a home run, double and four RBI. Sophomore right fielder Nick Di Vietro went 2-for-3 and junior second baseman Cavan Tully drove in a run. 

Tully's RBI came in the first inning when he stroked a 2-out, first-pitch single to score senior shortstop Jake Evans, who led off the game with a walk. Leading 1-0, BU surrendered three runs (two unearned) in the bottom of the frame, however. But BU battled back to reclaim the lead with three runs in the top of the second. Di Vietro led off with a double and sophomore third baseman Isaiah Corry dropped down a perfect bunt single. Two batters later Evans walked to load the bases for Aoki, who cleared them with a double to center field, which gave the Bearcats a 4-3 lead. 

Mississippi State tied it again with a run in the fourth but BU grabbed the lead back with a run in the fifth. Aoki led off and belted his second home run of the season over the left field wall for a 5-4 BU lead. But the Bulldogs evened it with a run in the sixth and then took the lead for good in the eighth. 

Binghamton returns home to host Maine in the conference-opening series at the new Bearcats Baseball Stadium this weekend.