Mississippi State baseball clinches series against Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — No. 16 Mississippi State baseball defeated No. 23 Alabama 8-1 on Saturday to clinch the weekend series.

The Crimson Tide struck first thanks to a solo shot from Max Grant but the Bulldogs responded with eight unanswered runs.

Third baseman Logan Kohler led the team in hits with three and also added two RBIs and two runs. Kohler and David Mershon both homered Saturday.

Ambidextrous pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje gave up just one hit and struck out eight batters through seven innings.

“[Justin] Parker wanted to take him out and he didn’t want to come out which was good to see,” head coach Chris Lemonis said. “Where he’s come from last year to this year is such a growing process for him. Not just the stuff, it’s more the maturity of competing and being a tough SEC pitcher.”

The win improves MSU to 14-9 in SEC play and 32-15 overall. Mississippi State will look to sweep Alabama in game three at 1 p.m. Sunday