Video: Mississippi State Uses the Force in Rout of UT-Martin
[syndicaster id=’6304234′]
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – A joint effort on the mound led to the fourth shutout of the season as No. 10 Mississippi State blanked Tennessee-Martin 14-0 in college baseball action Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs capped a four-game homestand by taking the easy victory at home to move to 21-8-1 overall. UT-Martin dropped its 12th straight while falling to 7-22. With 18 total hits, MSU topped 15 hits in a game for the eighth time this season.
MSU removed all doubt from the contest by early scoring four times in the second inning. The Maroon and When then blew things open with seven scores in the fifth inning.
Chewbacca enjoying the MSU dugout during Star Wars night at Dudy Noble.
Such offense would be more than enough for eight pitchers who combined on a four-hitter.
In the second inning, the Bulldogs scored four runs.
Gavin Collins drew a leadoff walk and Ryan Gridley was hit by a pitch. Brent Rooker followed with an RBI-ground-rule double. Hunter Stovall then smoked a double through the second baseman bringing home two more scores. After a walk to Jake Mangum, Jack Kruger lined a run-producing single to cap the scoring for that inning.
Things remained quiet until the Maroon and White erupted for seven scores in the fifth inning.
Reid Humphreys began the inning with a walk. Nathaniel Lowe then singled and each advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Collins. The scoring soon followed as Gridley hit an RBI-single and Rooker brought home a run on a ground ball out.
After a single by Stovall, Michael Smith and Mangum had back-to-back RBI-singles. Kruger followed with his fourth home run of the year – a massive three-run shot to left center capping a seven-run, six-hit at-bat.
In the seventh inning, the Bulldogs tacked on two more scores when Cody Brown had an RBI-single and Cole Gordon launched an RBI-double off the outfield wall. Mangum then capped a four-hit night with an RBI-single in the eighth inning.
It is the 19th time this season the Bulldogs had 10 or more hits in a game.
Mangum reached base safely in all six plate appearances and had his first four-hit game. Kruger added his team-best sixth third-hit game of the season. Lowe, Gridley and Stovall each had multiple hits.
Konnor Pilkington drew the start for the Bulldogs. Ryan Cyr, Keegan James, Noah Hughes, Kale Breaux, Jacob Billingsley, Jared Padgett and Zac Houston threw in relief. Cyr (1-0) threw two innings to pick up the win.
MSU returns to the road for a three-game series at No. 1 Florida this weekend. The Bulldogs and Gators meet at 4:30 p.m. CT Friday (SEC Network +), 6 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network +) and 3 p.m. Sunday (SEC Network).
MSU will next play at Dudy Noble Field on April 13 in a 6:30 p.m. start with Memphis.
Leave a Reply