Video: Robson’s Inside-The-Park Grand Slam Leads to Rout of Valley

March 23, 2016

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – An inside-the-park grand slam by Jacob Robson highlighted Mississippi State’s 16-1 college baseball win against Mississippi Valley State Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs (15-6-1) pounded out 19 hits, scored in five innings and used five pitchers to win a 25th straight matchup against the Delta Devils (4-14).

“It was workmanlike, that is how the kids handled it,” MSU head coach John Cohen said. “(Konnor) Pilkington threw the ball in the strike zone. We had some hits early and that took the pressure off. You play these games to get better and I thought we got better tonight.”

MSU finished with 19 hits. Robson had three hits and four RBIs, while John Holland had three hits and three RBIs. Elih Marrero, Reid Humphreys, Brent Rooker and Hunter Stovall each added two hits. Rooker and Stovall each drove in a pair of runs.

In the first inning, the Bulldogs got all the offense they needed by scoring three runs. Humphreys had an RBI-double and Rooker had a two-run single in that at-bat. An RBI-single by Jack Kruger ran the lead to 4-0 an inning later.

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

In the fifth inning, the Bulldogs added five scores.

Gavin Collins singled, Rooker walked and Stovall followed with a single to left field. Robson then cleared the bases and scored himself on an inside-the-park grand slam to left center.

A Stovall RBI-single and Holland two-run double highlighted a four-run sixth inning. After MVSU broke up the shutout in the eighth inning, MSU came right back with three scores on an RBI-single by Holland, RBI-double by Mangum and RBI-single by Marrero.

Pilkington (1-0) threw five innings of two-hit baseball to garner the win. He struck out six and walked none. In relief, Ryan Cyr, Zac Houston, Paul Young and Jacob Billingsley threw an inning apiece. The quartet allowed seven hits and struck out 11.

Southeastern Conference play resumes this weekend when Georgia comes to Dudy Noble Field. The SEC Battle of the Bulldogs will be contested at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. All three games will be available on SEC Network +.