HOOVER, Ala., – Zac Houston delivered 8 2/3 strong innings on the mound in Mississippi State’s SEC Tournament opener against Alabama on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior right-hander had pitched a shutout and limited the Crimson Tide to just two hits but was unable to get the final out he needed to record the complete game.
Houston gave up back-to-back doubles allowing Alabama to score in the bottom of the ninth but Blake Smith recorded a three-pitch strikeout and his fourth save to preserve a 4-1 victory to keep the top-seeded Bulldogs in the winner’s bracket.