STARKVILLE, Miss. - Unable to hold a 5-2 ninth-inning lead, Arkansas lost again 6-5 to Mississippi State Friday night and will lose its qualifying bid to the eightteam SEC Tournament if it loses today's 3 p.m. FOX Sports Networktelevised finale to the three-game series at Mississippi State's Dudy Noble Field.

Even if they win today, the ninth-place Razorbacks (32-22, 13-15 ) must get help either from Tennessee against South Carolina (14-15 ), or Kentucky against Ole Miss (14-15 ) to be in the 12-team league's top eight advancing to the SEC Tournament starting Wednesday in Hoover, Ala.

Russ Sneed's 1-out bases-loaded single off losing reliever Mike Bolsinger to deep right with the outfield forced to play shallow capped MSU's 4-run ninth after Casey Coon's 2-run single and Brett Eibner's RBI double broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth for a 5-2 Arkansas lead.

Arkansas wasted a superb performance by Razorback starter Cliff Springston, only 4 hits pitching into the eighth inning. Mississippi State starter John Lalor, also not figuring in the decision won by reliever Andy Wilson, also pitched superbly and struck out 12.

" We just have to come back and get them tomorrow, " Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said after Friday's loss. " We knew going into this we had to win one. The game was right there but we couldn't close it. "

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Lefthander Stephen Richards, who had yielded Nick Hardy's RBI triple after Ryan Powers singled leading off the eighth against Springston, was greeted in the ninth by Ryan Duffy's single. Duffy's seventh-inning home run beat Arkansas, 6-5 Thursday night.

Jeff Butler walked and Jeff Flagg singled sharply to left, loading the bases. Ryan Powers bounced a hot shot to third that Van Horn said he thought superb third baseman Logan Forsythe would get. Forsythe couldn't contain and it was ruled an RBI single.

Bolsinger came in against Curtis Hogue. Hogue beat out an RBI single arriving ahead of Bolsinger covering on the hit to first. Nick Hardy worked a walk forcing in the tying run. Bolsinger got a forceout at home before Sneed singled into right, allowing the Bulldogs (23-32, 9-21 ) to feel festive for today's ceremonies honoring retiring MSU coach Ron Polk.

Arkansas now has struck out 22 times in two games against Mississippi State.

" Way too many strikeouts, " Van Horn said. " What can you say ?"

The Hogs stranded 12, including twice at second and third and once with the bases loaded the innings they scored.

" Too many missed opportunities, " Van Horn said.

Only Tim Smalling, an RBI single in the fourth; Coon, a seventh-inning sac fly after Chase Leavitt had singled and Fayetteville native Ben Tschepikow doubled; and Coon with his 2-run double and Eibner with his ninthinning double could bring some Hogs home.

Leavitt's walk, Tschepikow's sac bunt, Forsythe's second straight intentional walk and Andy Wilkins' walk preceded Coon's single and Eibner's double.

It appeared it would suffice for Springston, considering the recent relief successes of Richards and Bolsinger.

" Springston pitched very well, " Van Horn said.

The Hogs lost catcher Ryan Cisterna to a wrist injury when he was hit by a pitch. Van Horn fears the wrist could be broken so Jeff Nutt, pinch-running for Cisterna in Friday's fourth, will catch Arkansas starter Dallas Keuchel today.

Keuchel comes off a superb effort completing last weekend's sweep of South Carolina, but he faces an inspired underdog craving to sweep for its retiring coach. Arkansas 000 100 103 - 5 9 0 Miss. State 000 010 014 - 6 10 1 Springston, Richards (8 ), Bolsinger (9 ) and Cisterna, Nutt (4 ); Lalor, Crosswhite (8 ), Houston (8 ), Wilson (9 ) and Duffy. W-Wilson, 3-0. L-Bolsinger, 4-1.