Ole Miss showed a strong finishing kick Saturday and evened its series with archrival Mississippi State.

Austin Anderson’s RBI single in the top of the seventh inning snapped a 2-all tie, and the Rebels scored four runs in the last three innings to pull out a 6-2 victory over the Bulldogs in Starkville.

Mississippi State committed two errors in the seventh inning that led to two runs, and another in the ninth that led to two more runs. Tanner Mathis was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth, and a wild pitch on what should have been an inning-ending strikeout brought in another run.

“They stuck with the same approach and we didn’t come out with the execution we needed to,” said Mississippi State catcher Mitch Slauter, who homered in the sixth inning to tie the score at 2. “We’re going to have to come out and play hard in game three. That’s when state championships are won, on Sundays.”

Matt Snyder belted a two-run home run for Ole Miss (28-15, 10-10 Southeastern Conference) in the first, but Mississippi State (26-17, 9-11) tied it on Slauter’s home run.

In the seventh, Ole Miss put two runners on with one out for Anderson, who singled down the right field line. Blake Newalu scored the go-ahead run, and a fielding error on the play allowed Auston Busfield to score to make it 4-2.

R.J. Hively pitched four innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory for Ole Miss.

Game three of the series is today at 1:35 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field.