Video: Mississippi State Holds off UMass Lowell in Friday Series Opener

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State kicked off its second weekend of the season on a successful note.

Behind a strong start from junior right-hander Dakota Hudson and three-hit games by junior Cody Brown and junior college transfer Jack Kruger, Mississippi State knocked off UMass Lowell 4-2 Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

MSU (3-2) is playing four games against a pair of opponents for the second straight weekend. MSU will return to the diamond Saturday with an 11 a.m. start against Nicholls State and a 2:30 p.m. start against UMass Lowell.

“I am proud of our staff,” MSU head coach John Cohen said. “We faced 35 batters and struck out 16. For the most part, we are getting a lot of swing and misses this year. We are also defending the field well for the most part.

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

“These are the kinds of games we have to win. That also allows you to relax and hopefully that means a better day offensively (on Saturday).”

Kruger carried the big bat on the opening weekend for the Bulldogs when he collected nine hits in 16 at-bats. That tear continued Friday when Kruger had three hits, a pair of RBIs and his second home run of the season. Brown also added his first three hits of the season.

That offense would be more than enough for Hudson and two relievers. Hudson recorded a career-best six innings of two-hit shutout baseball with four walks and a career-high nine strikeouts.

Vance Tatum threw the seventh inning and also got two outs in the eighth inning. Tatum was touched for a two-run home run by UMass Lowell’s Steve Passatempo in the seventh inning.

Junior Blake Smith got the Bulldogs out of a jam in the eighth inning and struck out all four he faced to notch his team’s first save of the season. The MSU trio combined to strike out 16 River Hawks.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring with three runs in the third inning.

Cody Brown began the inning with a double. Hunter Stovall then reached on a bunt attempt, while Brown took third base. Jacob Robson walked to load the bases. Kruger then drew a bases-loaded walk.

A ground ball hit by Nathaniel Lowe brought home one run, while an errant throw scored another. Kruger then provided some insurance with his solo shot to left field in the seventh inning.