Diamond Dawgs Dominate Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 14-1

STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Ten different Diamond Dawgs collected a hit and six pitchers combined to allow just five hits as the No. 8 Mississippi State baseball program collected its 12th win of the season in a 14-1 decision over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday (March 6) afternoon.

The Bulldog (12-1) offense could muster just two runs over the first six innings, before an eight-run seventh inning gave them a cushion. Four more runs in the eighth inning accounted for the final tally of 14 for the game. MSU totaled 15 hits in the contest, while six MSU pitchers help Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-10) to just five hits.

Sophomore Justin Foscue registered four hits in the game, scored three runs and drove in two RBIs. Senior Jake Mangum posted his 84th career multi-hit game with a pair of hits, while senior Marshall Gilbert also chipped in two hits. Senior Elijah MacNamee scored three runs in the contest, collecting one hits and walking once.

On the mound, freshman Eric Cerantola (2-0) collected the win with three innings in the start. He fanned four batters, allowed one hit and walked one. Junior Riley Self tossed two scoreless innings with one strikeout, while redshirt-junior Spence Price, freshman Brandon Smith and Tyler Spring each threw scoreless innings, as well.

Quotable

Head Coach Chris Lemonis

On Justin Foscue’s night

“Yeah, he had a good night. I thought he played well in the field especially; he made a couple of really nice plays. He had a nice back hand with two outs and also the double play he started. The line drive he caught and the four good at-bats. He’s been like that for a couple of weeks now. He’s been really impressive.”

On the pitching staff

“[Our pitchers] got good work in, number one. We kind of scripted it out before the game and I thought all of the guys came out and competed and threw strikes. We played pretty solid defense and it kept us in a frustrating game a little bit. We were in the sixth or seventh inning and the guys are over-swinging a little bit and had some soft outs. Our pitching just held them right there.”

Justin Foscue

On wearing the teal uniforms to honor Alex Wilcox

“It means a lot. I knew Alex [Wilcox] and Alex meant a lot to this university. To wear the teal jersey, we’re playing for her. We’re playing for her family. We’re playing for ovarian cancer. It means a lot. It definitely brings a lot of support for her family, and it means a lot to us, too.”

Eric Cerantola

On the adjustment to the college level

“Basically, you have to make sure you’re not making mistakes and you’re minimizing them. At the same time, keeping the ball down, switching up pitches and not falling into any tendencies [that hitters can sit on], just switching it up [to keep them off balance].”

Quick Hitters

Mississippi State

Justin Foscue – Had four hits – including a pair of doubles – scored three runs and plated two RBIs.

Jake Mangum – Posted his 84th career mutli-hit game with a pair of singles and also reached via intentional walk. Scored one run. Moved his career hits total to 294 hits.

Jordan Westburg – Moved his reached base streak to 13 games with a seventh-inning hit-by-pitch. Scored a run in the eight-run seventh inning.

Marshall Gilbert – Reached baes three times with a pair of hits and one walk. Singled to plate an RBI in the second inning and drove in a pair of runs with a seventh-inning double.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Nick Kreutzer – Reached base four times, with one single and three walks.

Colton Bochtler – Allowed two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Struck out three and walked just one.

Scoring Recap

Bottom Second

Four base hits and one UAPB error yielded two runs for the Diamond Dawgs, as Elijah MacNamee singled to start the frame, before moving to second on a wild pitch. Tanner Allen followed with a single that was misplayed by the left fielder, allowing MacNamee to score. With Allen on second following the error, advanced to third on a Rowdey Jordan ground out and Marshall Gilbert followed with a base hit to score Allen.

Mississippi State 2, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0

Bottom Seventh

The bottom of the seventh inning featured 13 plate appearances for the Diamond Dawgs, with eight runs coming across the plate. In the inning, MacNamee pushed the first run across on a fielder’s choice and Justin Foscue doubled to plate a pair of runs. Gilbert then added two more RBIs with a double, before Landon Jordan and Jake Mangum collected RBI hits. Brad Cumbest doubled to start the inning, while Westburg, Allen and Rowdey Jordan all reached base via hit-by-pitch or walk.

Mississippi State 10, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0

Bottom Eighth

MacNamee started the eighth with a one-out walk, moved to third on a Foscue double and scored on a Rowdey Jordan sacrifice fly. Luke Hancock came on as a defensive replacement in the seventh and saw his first at bat in the eighth, delivering an RBI double to right-center field. After a walk to Landon Jordan, pinch hitter Hayden Jones doubled down the right-field line to score the final two runs.

Mississippi State 14, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1

Up Next

Mississippi State will continue its six-game homestand with a three-game series versus Maine at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs and Black Bears will kick off the series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 8. Saturday, March 9 will begin at 3 p.m. and the series finale will see a noon first pitch on Sunday, March 10.