Oxford, MS- A quiet night for the Mississippi State offense resulted in a complete game from Ole Miss righty Dylan DeLucia, as the Bulldogs fell 4-2.

A crucial mistake in the first inning forced the Bulldogs to play from behind right off the bat. State starter Brandon Smith had a man on 2nd with two outs, and RJ Yeager bobbled a chopper from Ole Miss DH Kemp Alderman to keep the inning alive, and left-fielder Kevin Graham made him pay, sending a 3-run shot over the right-field wall.

Smith otherwise gave the Bulldogs all they could ask for. The senior from Richland allowed only four hits, struck out a career-high nine batters, and surrendered just one more run, a solo homer by Rebel catcher Hayden Dunhurst in the fifth inning.

Ole Miss righty Dylan DeLucia entered today's game with a lackluster 5.03 ERA in 11 appearances this season. However, in the two start's he made against Kentucky and South Carolina, the Northwest Florida State transfer was lights out, allowing just one run in fourteen innings. DeLucia continued to be dominant as a starter, pitching a complete game, striking out eight Bulldogs hitters, and walking none. Just like in the final game in the Auburn series, State only managed two runs that both came via the solo homer; today, they came off the bats of Brad Cumbest and Kellum Clark.

While State dropped the first game of the 3-game set, State will still have a chance to take down their rival to the north tomorrow.

"It's not like the Egg Bowl where you have to wait a full year," said Luke Hancock. "We get to come back and play tomorrow, and that's a good thing for us."

Preston Johnson, the conference leader in strikeouts throughout SEC play, will take the mound for the Bulldogs tomorrow and is set to face lefty Hunter Elliot who has primarily been used out of the bullpen this season.