Fristoe fired six perfect innings to earn his first career victory in State’s combined no-hitter against Kent State on Sunday
STARKVILLE – Perfection in many aspects of life is unattainable and in baseball it is almost impossible to achieve. However, for six innings on Sunday (March 7) against Kent State, Mississippi State baseball right-handed pitcher Jackson Fristoe was perfect and for that was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week.
The Paducah, Kentucky, native faced eighteen batters in his third career collegiate start and the true freshman sent all 18 of them back to the dugout without reaching base. Fristoe tossed the first six innings of State’s combined no-hitter to clinch MSU’s third straight series victory of the season.
In the process, Fristoe posted his first career victory with a career-best eight strikeouts. His efforts helped MSU to its first no-hitter since 1999. In the game, he threw 87 pitches and 56 for strikes. Along with his eight strikeouts, Fristoe coaxed seven flyball outs and four groundouts, with 13 of his 18 outs ending on the infield or via strikeout.
In three series-ending starts, Fristoe has helped MSU turn a tied series into a series victory each weekend thus far.
Since the SEC Freshman of the Week award began in 2006, Fristoe is the 11th Diamond Dawg to be honored for a total of 14 honors. For MSU, its last four rookie honorees have come on the mound, as JT Ginn earned a pair of FOTW awards in 2019 and Christian MacLeod won the initial award during the 2020 season.
Fristoe joins second-year freshman Landon Sims as MSU baseball student-athletes to win a weekly award from the conference office this season. Sims was named Co-Pitcher of the Week after opening the season with four perfect innings of relief to earn the win against No. 9 Texas in the season opener.
Mississippi State will remain at home for a pair of midweek games to face Grambling on Tuesday, March 9 and Louisiana Lafayette on Wednesday, March 10. Both games will begin at 6 p.m. and be carried via SEC Network+ and the Mississippi State Radio Network.