Hancock blasts third home run of the season for first-career walk-off hit
STARKVILLE – Growing up 40 miles from Dudy Noble Field, sophomore Luke Hancock is well aware that The Dude is a special place. On Saturday (Feb. 27) evening he left his mark with a walk-off grand slam that gave the No. 5 Mississippi State baseball program a 9-5 win over Tulane to even the series.
The Diamond Dawg offense was powered by the home run on Saturday, as junior Tanner Allen hit his first home run of the season to start the scoring for MSU in the first inning and second-year freshman Kamren James led off the sixth inning with his second home run of the year.
After a Logan Tanner two-RBI single tied the game in the ninth inning, the third home of the day – this one a grand slam – was belted by Luke Hancock into the Adkerson Plaza down the right-field line to walk it off for the Dawgs. It was Hancock’s third home run of 2020 and first walk-off hit in his career.
Allen, James and Scotty Dubrule each posted two-hit games, while Hancock drove in a career-high four RBIs. Allen and Tanner both chipped in two RBIs. All nine MSU starters reached base at least once in the contest, including Josh Hatcher in the ninth inning to extend his career-long reached base streak to 13 games.
Second-year freshman Landon Sims again came up big in relief for MSU. He entered the game with a runner on first and one out in the third inning and struck out the two batters to end the frame. He went on to strike out 10 batters in 3 2/3 innings of work for his second straight outing with double-digit strikeouts. His consecutive games with double-digit Ks marks the first time for a Bulldog pitcher since Ethan Small in 2019 (vs. Vanderbilt, 5/23 – 11; Central Michigan, 6/1 – 10).
Throwing a scoreless ninth inning, second-year freshman Stone Simmons (1-0) picked up his first win in the maroon and white after transferring from Furman. He worked around a one-out single, as all three of his outs came on the ground.
For Tulane, Trent Johnson (0-1) took the loss with two-plus innings of work and allowed six runs on five hits. Chase Engelhard was 2-for-3 with a double and home run. He added a hit-by-pitch, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Quotable
Head Coach Chris Lemonis
On what he saw from his team on Saturday
CL: I told them before the game that we’d learn a lot about our team this weekend. After you lose the opening night [game], we brought nowhere near the intensity that we brought today. That was disappointing yesterday. We’re figuring out things as a young ball club. The thing you’re seeing in college baseball is that the level is so high right now. I know that Tulane isn’t in the SEC, but that’s a really good ball club. We’re facing some really good arms. I think figuring out our team and taking that momentum into tomorrow is huge. It makes you feel a lot better when you win.
On the atmosphere in the ninth inning
CL: If you can get that atmosphere going in the ballpark here, it makes it really hard to pitch. Luke [Hancock] took advantage of it at the end. I’m really happy for our guys. They fought all day long. They never put their heads down, they just kept competing. We had a couple disappointing innings, but you just have to keep playing the game and I thought our guys did that.
On Landon Sims
CL: Right now, he’s our best guy at just attacking the [strike] zone, attacking the hitters, and going after it. I love the pace he pitches with, and obviously the stuff is great, but you have to hit him to score and be able to do [productive things]. He’s just going right after guys and as a staff, we probably struggle in that area a little bit. We’ve been nibbling and fighting the zone a little bit. It’s fun to play behind him. There’s a good pace to the game and he’s [struck] out a bunch of them too, so that helps. Like I said before the year, he’s kind of our x-factor. Our three starters were getting all the hype, but he has pitched as well as anybody.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Ethan Groff walked and advanced to second on Luis Aviles single to left field. Frankie Niemann walked with two outs, before Jared Hart singled to right field to score Groff.
Tulane 1, Mississippi State 0
Bottom First
Tanner Allen hit his first home run of the season to left field following a walk to Scotty Dubrule.
Mississippi State 2, Tulane 1
Top Second
Hayden Hasting and Chase Engelhard were hit-by-pitch and Jacob LaPrairie walked with no outs to load the bases. Trevor Minder then singled to score two runs.
Tulane 3, Mississippi State 2
Top Sixth
Hastings walked and stole second before scoring on Englehard’s double to left field.
Tulane 4, Mississippi State 2
Bottom Sixth
Kamren James started off the sixth inning with a solo home run to left center, his third of the season.
Tulane 4, Mississippi State 3
Top Eighth
Englehard answered back with a solo home run to left field to make it a two-run game.
Tulane 5, Mississippi State 3
Bottom Ninth
Rowdey Jordan started the inning with a single to right center and advanced to third on aDubrulesingle. Allen walked before Logan Tanner’s single scored Rowdey Jordan and Dubrule. Josh Hatcher was intentionally walked to load the bases, before Hancock’s grand slam sent the Dudy Noble Field faithful home happy.
Mississippi State 9, Tulane 5
Up Next
Mississippi State and Tulane will close out the series with a Noon series-deciding game at Dudy Noble Field.