Logan Tanner hits sixth home run of the season, drives in five RBIs in midweek win
STARKVILLE – The No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program scored in six different innings on its way to a 19-7 midweek victory over UAB on Tuesday (April 20) evening at Dudy Noble Field. The Diamond Dawgs piled up nine extra base hits and stole five bases to improve to 10-0 in midweek tilts.
Ten different Diamond Dawgs collected hits on the night with the quintet of Scotty Dubrule, Luke Hancock, Kamren James, Tanner Leggett and Logan Tanner all chipping in multi-hit games. Mississippi State (28-8) saw nine hitters drive in RBIs and 11 score runs.
Tanner launched a 412-foot home run in the first inning to get his night started and finished 3-for-4 with a career-best five RBIs. Tanner added a pair of doubles to his home run for eight total bases. Leggett chipped in a two-hit effort with two RBIs and three runs scored. The junior hit his first career home run in the eighth inning.
Mikey Tepper got the start and threw one inning with only a walk allowed to earn his second win of the season. State followed with nine more pitchers and the group combined for 11 strikeouts to move its streak to 16 straight games with double-digit strikeouts. Spencer Price and Eric Cerantola each fanned three batters to help keep the streak alive.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On Logan Tanner
CL: He’s got a lot of power. He’s really trying to tap in and see how to use it. The homer in the first was huge to give us some leeway there. It got us a little [separation] from them, and we needed it. We ended up having a bad second inning. He had big hits all night long. Watching him hit, and Scotty Dubrule, we need some more guys like that. Luke Hancock had a better night. He had a really tough weekend and was able to get some swings off tonight. Getting all those guys going in the middle is big for the weekend.
Scoring Recap
Bottom First
Tanner Allen and Kamren James hit back-to-back doubles before Logan Tanner‘s three-run home run to center gave MSU an early lead.
Mississippi State 4, UAB 0
Top Second
Ian Ladner walked to start the inning and advanced to third on J Paul Fullerton’s double, while John Marc Mullins reached on a fielding error to load the bases. A walk for Joseph Kiel plated one and was followed by a two-RBI single for Davis.
Mississippi State 4, UAB 3
Bottom Second
Scotty Dubrule and Tanner Leggett walked before the duo each stole a base, allowing Dubrule to score on a sacrifice fly. James’ groundout brought in Leggett and Luke Hancock singled through the right side to score the third run of the inning.
Mississippi State 7, UAB 3
Bottom Third
Kyte McDonald doubled to left center and scored on a Dubrule single.
Mississippi State 8, UAB 3
Bottom Fourth
Allen singled up the middle and advanced on a wild pitch before Hancock walked. A double for Tanner plated one before Josh Hatcher‘s ground out pushed another across.
Mississippi State 10, UAB 3
Top Fifth
Colton Schultz singled to left field and advanced to second as Zack Davis was hit-by-pitch. J. Fullerton hit a three-run home run to close the inning.
Mississippi State 10, UAB 6
Bottom Fifth
Dubrule and Leggett posted back-to-back base hits to center field before Rowdey Jordan walked to load the bases. A sacrifice fly out from James brought one in before Hancock’s double scored two more. Tanner doubled to left field before Kellum Clark‘s single scored the final run of the frame.
Mississippi State 15, UAB 6
Top Seventh
Schultz was hit-by-pitch and advanced on Davis’ single to center field. He scored on J. Fullerton’s sacrifice fly.
Mississippi State 15, UAB 7
Bottom Eighth
Brad Cumbest doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Dubrule’s single to left field. Leggett hit his first career home run, a two-run bomb to left field. Drew McGowan reached on a fielding error before he scored on Davis Meche‘s single.
Mississippi State 19, UAB 7
Up Next
Mississippi State heads to Vanderbilt for another top-five showdown in SEC play. The Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24 contests will be carried on the SEC Network and ESPNU, respectively, with each game starting at 7 p.m. CT.