Bednar fans eight and Logan Tanner drives in three RBIs in win over Commodores
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program never trailed in its 7-4 victory at No. 3 Vanderbilt on Saturday (April 24) evening at Hawkins Field to even the SEC road series.
Mississippi State (28-9, 10-6 SEC) built a 7-1 lead with two in the first inning, two in the fifth and three in the seventh, but Vanderbilt (30-6, 12-4 SEC) got one in the first and scored three times in the seventh to close the gap, before the MSU bullpen was able to close out the game.
Will Bednar (3-1) propelled the Bulldogs to a win with five strong innings and eight strikeouts. He allowed just one run on three hits and walked three. Preston Johnson struck out two over one and one-third innings of work with two runs allowed.
Landon Sims allowed one run butthrew the final two and two-thirds innings to preserve the victory. The Bulldog trio fanned 12 batters to move MSU’s program record streak to 18 games with double-digit strikeouts.
Logan Tanner did most of the damage with a 3-for-5 night at the plate and three RBIs. He hit his seventh home run – fourth in SEC play – and collected his ninth multi-RBI game of the year, with four coming in the last eight games.
Rowdey Jordan led off the game with a home run over the right field wall, his second leadoff home run of the season (Arkansas State; April 13). The home run extended his reached base streak to 23 games. Tanner Allen posted a two-hit night for his 15th multi-hit game of the season and came around to score twice. The top five hitters in State’s lineup all reach base at least twice in the game.
For Vanderbilt, Jack Leiter gave up a career high in runs (4) and hits (5) and suffered his first career loss. Prior to Saturday, Leiter’s career highs in runs and hits came with three and four, respectively, versus TCU in 2020 and at Tennessee last weekend. The right-hander also fanned eight batters in the game. Enrique Bradfield Jr. reached base four times and Jayson Gonzalez and Cooper Davis both went 2-for-4 with one and two RBI’s respectfully.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On the offensive plan entering the game
CL: The plan was to hit the fastball, and that is what we try to do every night. I thought our guys did a nice job with that, especially Rowdey [Jordan] to start off the game. We are kind of a grind it out offense and we were able to get [Jack Leiter’s] pitch count up and get him out of the game early, which is a huge key against a guy like him. Our guys competed. They competed with two outs and were able to string some innings out.
On responding after losing on Friday night
CL: We can take a punch as good as anyone right now. Last week it was [Ole Miss starting pitcher] Doug Nikhazy and last night it was Kumar Rocker. In this league, you kind of get used to [seeing really good pitching], but we have some tough dudes. We really compete, too. If you look at some of the [pitchers] we have faced this year and the guys that we have beat, I give [our hitters] a lot of credit. People may knock our offense, but out guys compete, and they win. They put runs on the board when they need to. I am proud of them.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Rowdey Jordanhit his second leadoff home run of the season to start the inning. Tanner Allen singled up the middle and advanced to second on a walk for Kamren James before scoring on a Luke Hancock single through the left side.
Mississippi State 2, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom First
Enrique Bradfield Jr. walked and stole second and third base in front of a Jack Bulger sacrifice fly.
Mississippi State 2, Vanderbilt 1
Top Fifth
Allen walked and scored on a two-run home run by Logan Tanner.
Mississippi State 4, Vanderbilt 1
Top Seventh
James double to left center and Hancock walked. Tanner doubled down the left field line to score James before Scotty Dubrule reached on a fielder’s choice that pushed Hancock across. A single for Brayland Skinner brought in the third run of the inning for State.
Mississippi State 7, Vanderbilt 1
Bottom Seventh
CJ Rodriguez was hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a walk for Isaiah Thomas. Back-to-back singles for Cooper Davis and Jayson Gonzalez pushed three across.
Mississippi State 7, Vanderbilt 4
Up Next
The series finale between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt is set for 1 p.m. at Hawkins Field on Sunday, April 25. The game is available on SEC Network+ and the MSU Radio Network.