Hancock and Tanner hit back-to-back home runs for second time in 2021
STARKVILLE – It was a day for the offense on Saturday (May 15) at Dudy Noble Field, as the No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program dropped the rubber game to Missouri, 16-8. The Tigers took an early lead, and the Bulldogs couldn’t catch up in just its second series loss of the season.
Missouri (14-33, 7-20 SEC) jumped out to an 8-0 advantage, before Mississippi State (36-13, 17-10 SEC) was able to cut the deficit in half with a four-run fourth inning. The Tigers offset a four-run fifth inning by MSU with two in the fifth and two seventh to make it a 12-8 game. Four more Missouri runs in the ninth inning accounted for the final margin.
The two teams combined for 31 hits in the game, and each had runners on base in eight of the nine innings. Missouri stranded 11 runners on base and State left 10 on base in the game.
Offensively, five Diamond Dawgs collected multiple hits in the game, including three-hit games from Tanner Allen, Scotty Dubrule and Kellum Clark. It was the sixth three-hit game of the season for Allen and his 23rd overall in 2021. The three hits for Allen moved his hitting streak to a season-long-tying 12 games, while Dubrule has a five-game hitting streak and a 12-game reached base streak.
Luke Hancock and Logan Tanner hit back-to-back home runs to start the fourth inning. It was the ninth of the season for Hancock and 11th of the year for Tanner and is the fourth time in 2021 that Mississippi State has hit back-to-back home runs in a game, including three times in SEC play.
Houston Harding (5-2) took the loss with five runs allowed – three earned – on six hits in recording six outs in a start. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out one before handing off to the bullpen. Seven Mississippi State relievers finished out the game with 11 runs allowed on nine hits and eight walks.
Ben Petersen (1-1) picked up the win in relief. He threw the final 4 2/3 innings scoreless and allowed just four hits with two strikeouts. Alex Peterson hit a pair of home runs, Brandt Belk hit a grand slam and Luke Mann hit a three-run home run to power the Missouri offense.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On the way his team played this weekend
CL: Our guys always bring energy, but when you’re chasing from behind the whole time it’s hard to have a ton of energy. Last weekend we were at South Carolina, and we had the lead, we played with it, we played with a lot of energy. We played as the aggressor [last weekend] and this weekend we just didn’t. It is what it is. We chased the whole weekend, and it gets tough to chase. Especially when there’s so much on the line. You’d like to get out there and get your feet wet and we gave up runs in the first and second inning to put us in that chase all weekend long.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Mark Vierling singled to left field, advanced to second on an error and third on a ground out before scoring on Clayton Peterson’s single.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 0
Top Second
Alex Peterson hit a solo home run to left field.
Missouri 3, Mississippi State 0
Top Third
Torin Montgomery doubled down the left field line and advanced on a fielder’s choice by Clayton Peterson. A Joshua Day single plated one before Cameron Swanger walked and Alex Peterson reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Brandt Belk hit a grand slam.
Missouri 8, Mississippi State 0
Bottom Fourth
Luke Hancock and Logan Tanner responded with back-to-back solo home runs to start the inning. Scotty Dubrule singled, which was followed by a double for Kellum Clark to put players in scoring position. A sacrifice fly by Tanner Leggett plated Dubrule before Rowdey Jordan’s double pushed another one across.
Missouri 8, Mississippi State 4
Top Fifth
Alex Peterson hit a solo home run to left field. Belk walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Missouri 10, Mississippi State 4
Bottom Fifth
Four base hits in a row with one out from Hancock, Tanner, Dubrule, and Clark scored two runs before Leggett’s double to left field plated two more.
Missouri 10, Mississippi State 8
Top Seventh
Tre Morris doubled to left field before Montgomery was intentionally walked. With two outs, back-to-back singles for Day and Luke Mann each scored a run to expand Missouri’s lead.
Missouri 12, Mississippi State 8
Top Ninth
Ross Lovich was hit-by-pitch, Montgomery reached on an error and Day walked to load the bases. Lovich scored on a wild pitch before Mann’s home run to right field plated the final three runs of the game.
Missouri 16, Mississippi State 8
Up Next
The final week of the regular season will begin on Tuesday, May 18 with the final home contest of the 2021 schedule against Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m. The Diamond Dawgs will then travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a three-game series with Alabama starting on Thursday, May 20 at 6 p.m.