Skinner hits first career home run, MacLeod fans nine for first career SEC win
STARKVILLE – The No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program recorded its fourth weekend-opening victory of 2021 with a 6-1 victory over No. 10 LSU on Friday (March 19) evening at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
A couple of big swings from Brayland Skinner in his first career start and the one-two punch of Christian MacLeod and Brandon Smith on the mound gave MSU its second straight SEC Opening Day win of the Chris Lemonis era.
After the Tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning, MacLeod (2-1) retired 14 of the next 15 batters on his way to a victory in his first career SEC start. From the second inning to the sixth inning, MacLeod settled in to retired 13 straight batters. In all, the left-hander allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out nine batters.
Smith entered in to start the seventh inning and returned nine of the 10 batters he faced to close out his first career save. The right-hander tossed three innings and allowed one hit with three strikeouts.
Skinner led the offense with a 3-for-3 night at the plate with three RBIs. The sophomore hit a two-run home run to start the scoring in the fifth inning and followed with an RBI single in the seventh. It was the first career multi-hit and multi-RBI game for the Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, native.
With Skinner hitting eighth in the lineup, the 7-8-9 hitters led the way with seven of MSU’s 11 hits. Josh Hatcher posted a pair of hits – both doubles – and scored twice, while Lane Forsythe had a pair of hits and an RBI. Logan Tanner doubled, walked and plated a pair of RBIs in the eighth inning.
Gavin Dugas plated the lone run for LSU with a sixth inning double, while Cade Doughty singled, walked and scored a run. Jaden Hill (2-2) threw 7 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out two in the loss.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On Christian MacLeod
CL: He settled in really well after that first inning. He mixed and pitched all night. One of the better outings of his career so far. We talk about it from an offensive side that you need to get to a good starting pitcher early. And that is a case of what happened tonight with Christian. [They weren’t able to get to him] in the first and then he settled in and pitched really well.
On Skinners home run giving his dugout some life
CL: It felt like all the air came out of their dugout. Our guys were fired up [after the home run] and it lets you play a little more relaxed at that point. We had hit some balls hard to that point, but just couldn’t land the big hit. Our guys really took off and played great from that point.
Scoring Recap
Top Fifth
Josh Hatcher doubled to left field before Brayland Skinner hit his first home run to right field.
Mississippi State 2, LSU 0
Bottom Sixth
Cade Doughty singled to right field and scored on Gavin Dugas doubled to right field.
Mississippi State 2, LSU 1
Top Seventh
Hatcher doubled to left field and Skinner scored him for the second time with a single up the middle.
Mississippi State 3, LSU 1
Top Eighth
Rowdey Jordan singled to start the inning and advanced to second on Tanner Allen’s base hit. Kamren James’ single loaded the bases before Logan Tanner brought home two runs with a hit. Skinner was hit-by-pitch and Lane Forsythe’s RBI base knock rounded out the scoring.
Mississippi State 6, LSU 1
Up Next
The Bulldogs and Tigers will meet for the middle game in the series at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 20 at Alex Box Stadium.