MSU Baseball Defeats Marshall, Improves To 5-0

STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State rode the pitching duo of Preston Brown and Ross Mitchell to its fifth victory of the season Friday afternoon.Brown and Mitchell combined to scatter eight hits and allow two runs in MSU’s 6-2 win over Marshall at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs trailed 2-0 early but rallied with a single score in the fifth inning, four runs in the sixth inning and a final score in the seventh inning.

In the fifth inning, the rally began when Seth Heck reached as a two-out hit batsman. John Holland followed with an RBI-double off the left field wall.

Marshall starting pitcher Matt Margaritonda escaped that inning but found the going tough an inning later.

A single by Jacob Robson and RBI-double by Ryan Gridley started the big inning. In relief, Caleb Ross was touched by an RBI-single from pinch hitter Brent Rooker placed the Bulldogs on top. After a sacrifice bunt Josh Lovelady and single by Matt Spruill, a passed ball allowed the other two runs to score.

Robson continued his early season hitting tear with a single in the seventh inning. He stole a base and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Gridley.

Robson matched a career high with three of the team’s 10 hits. He also stole a career-high three bases. Gridley finished with two RBIs.

On the mound, Brown (2-0) picked up a quality start and the win. In six innings of work, Brown allowed six hits and two run (one earned), with a career-high eight strikeouts. Ross Mitchell allowed two hits in three innings of shutout relief to earn his first save of the season.

Josh King and Aaron Bossi each had two hits for the Thundering Herd.

MSU is scheduled to play twice Saturday, facing Alabama A&M at noon and Marshall at 4 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field.