COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs relied on four home runs and a dominant starting pitching performance to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks 5-3 on April 17, 2026.
State jumped on the board early in the top of the second inning when second baseman Gehrig Frei hit a solo home run down the right-field line. The Bulldogs expanded their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third inning via the long ball; third baseman Ace Reese hit a solo home run to right field, and shortly after, first baseman Reed Stallman crushed a two-run home run to right field that also scored designated hitter Noah Sullivan.
South Carolina clawed back into the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. After center fielder Tyler Bak and right fielder Luke Yuhasz hit back-to-back singles, left fielder Ethan Lizama launched a three-run home run to right field, cutting the Mississippi State lead to 4-3. The Bulldogs added a crucial insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when Noah Sullivan hit a solo home run to left center, bringing the game to its final score of 5-3.
Mississippi State’s offense was paced by right fielder Jacob Parker, who had a stellar night going 3-for-5 at the plate. Noah Sullivan finished 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored, while center fielder Aidan Teel went 2-for-5 with a double. Gehrig Frei also contributed a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-5 with his early solo home run. While the final book does not officially designate a game-winning hit, Reed Stallman’s two-run blast in the third inning provided the decisive third and fourth runs for the Bulldogs.
For South Carolina, Ethan Lizama led the charge with his three-run home run, finishing 1-for-4. Tyler Bak went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, and Luke Yuhasz went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Mississippi State starting pitcher Tomas Valincius delivered a commanding performance to earn the win. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out an impressive 11 batters and walking only one. Reliever Ben Davis was called upon to lock down the game out of the bullpen, tossing the final 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three to secure the save.
South Carolina starter Brandon Stone took the loss after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings, striking out five without issuing a walk. Relievers Logan Prisco and Zach Russell covered the final 3.1 innings for the Gamecocks, allowing one combined run.
- Winning Pitcher: Tomas Valincius (7-1)
- Losing Pitcher: Brandon Stone (4-2)
- Save: Ben Davis (5)
The game was played under clear skies at 87 degrees. First pitch was at 7:02 p.m., and the contest lasted exactly 3 hours. The announced attendance at Founders Park was 6,752.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs improve to a 28-10 overall record and an 8-8 record in SEC conference play. The South Carolina Gamecocks fall to a 19-20 overall record and a 5-11 record in the SEC.
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