STARKVILLE — Three days ago, Mississippi State was on a high after sweeping No. 9 Oregon. Today, it’s reeling after two straight losses as it prepares to take on another top-10 team.

The Bulldogs only mustered six hits Wednesday night and lost their second midweek game in as many days, 3-1 to Oral Roberts.

Sam Grellner’s pinch-hit RBI double in the sixth inning put Oral Roberts (8-8) ahead to stay, and Brent Williams added an RBI single to bring in an insurance run in the eighth inning.

It was a tough night for Mississippi State (12-5-1), which will go on the road to play No. 2 Vanderbilt in its first Southeastern Conference series beginning Friday night.

“Midweek games are won or lost based on who walks the most and hits the most,” Mississippi State coach John Cohen said. “We did a better job of finding the strike zone but in the end, we still walked too many and hit too many. Opposing teams come in excited about playing at Dudy Noble Field. We have to do a better job with our offense.”

A night after wasting a six-run lead late in a 16-12, extra-inning loss to Eastern Kentucky, Mississippi State found itself in a pitchers’ duel.

The Bulldogs used eight pitchers, none of whom threw more than two innings. They combined to allow seven hits and four walks, and struck out nine.

MSU’s hitters, though, had an off night. Jack Kruger went 2-for-4 and drove in the team’s only run with a single in the third inning. No one else had more than one hit.

Oral Roberts starter Cale Tims allowed one run and one walk in five innings, and struck out six. The Eagles’ bullpen didn’t walk a batter, struck out six and only gave up two hits in four innings of work.

Ole Miss 5, UAB 1

This win was a little tougher than most for Ole Miss, but it still counted the same.

The Rebels scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning Wednesday and went on to beat UAB 5-1 in a matinee in Birmingham.

Ole Miss (17-1) increased its winning streak to 12 games by sweeping a two-game midweek series from the Blazers (6-11), and will head into its first weekend of Southeastern Conference action on a high note.

The Rebels open the SEC schedule on the road Friday against Tennessee.

Ole Miss took advantage of a string of mistakes by UAB to win on Wednesday. Three UAB pitchers combined to walk five batters in the fifth inning — two with the bases loaded — and uncorked two wild pitches that brought in two runs.

Ole Miss scored five runs in the inning without a hit. It only had seven hits in the game, all singles.

Ole Miss pitcher James McArthur (2-0) allowed one run on five hits in five innings of work. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out five.

Louisiana Tech 15, Alcorn St. 4

Former Hinds Community College star Jordan Washam went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, Garrett Dodd drove in two runs and scored two more, and Louisiana Tech pounded Alcorn State 15-4 Wednesday.

Sean Ullrich doubled twice, scored three times and drove in two runs for Louisiana Tech (9-4). Casey Sutton had four strikeouts in four scoreless innings to get the win.

LaDerik Williams hit a solo home run for Alcorn (2-13).