Hancock drives in three RBIs, Bednar fans eight in seven innings of work in the victory
STARKVILLE – Will Bednar struck out eight and Luke Hancock drove in three RBIs to help the No. 3 Mississippi State baseball program to a victory in the opening game of the NCAA Starkville Regional at Dudy Noble Field.
Number seven national seed Mississippi State ran its winning streak in NCAA Regional games to eight straight games dating back to the 2018 Tallahassee Regional. State has also won six straight home tournament games.
A leadoff home run by Samford (35-23) started the game to stake the visitors to a 1-0 lead. A single run in the first, three in the second and one in the fourth bolstered Mississippi State (41-15) to a 5-1 edge, before two runs in the fifth pulled Samford within two, 5-3. The Diamond Dawgs added one more in the sixth and two in the seventh, before an eighth-inning solo home run by Samford capped the scoring.
Bednar (7-1) did not let the leadoff home run set the tone, as he retired 12 of the next 13 batters to cruise into the fifth inning. In all, the right-hander fanned eight batters in seven innings of work to earn his seventh win of the season to just one loss. He allowed three runs – two earned – on six hits and walked only one batter.
The offense was able to manufacture eight runs on 11 hits and took advantage of the one Samford error. Four Diamond Dawgs produced multi-hit games, led by three-hit games from Rowdey Jordan and Hancock. Tanner Allen and Kellum Clark each chipped in two hits.
For Allen, he produced his 26th multi-hit game of the season and extended his hitting streak to 19 games with the 2-for-4 day. His reached base streak reached 22 games and he added one run scored and one RBI. Hancock produced his 15th multi-RBI game of the year and his
Jordan posted his fourth three-hit game and 18th multi-hit game of the season and scored three runs. The junior now has 20 career hits in NCAA Regional play over his nine games. Kamren James also plated two RBIs in the contest and now has 50 RBIs on the year.
Samford was powered by the longball, with three home runs in the game. All three were solo shots and each of them led of an inning. Max Pinto hit one of those three home runs and drove in two RBIs in the game. Samuel Strickland (5-4) took the loss with six runs – three earned – allowed on eight hits in five innings of work. He walked one and struck out one In his 16th start.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On Will Bednar
CL:I thought [Will Bednar] was really good. [Samford’s Max Pinto] hit a good pitch in the first, and he hung a slider to the [Samford’s Kaden Dreier] who hit the ball out to left. I thought he was really good today. I gave him the shirt after the game just because I thought it was competitive – being able to take the ball, throw 120 pitches and give us a great chance to win. Those guys are good. We knew we were matching up with a really good offensive team and a team that can hit the ball out of the ballpark. I thought that was some of the better stuff he’s had in his career, they just hit a couple pitches.
On his offense
CL:I thought the guys were great today. I thought we did a great job with situational hitting – moving a runner, getting a runner in, just making things happen and having quality at-bats. We didn’t get too big. Sometimes in the opening game of the tournament, everybody is trying to swing a little too hard. Our approach is to stay on balls and make them make plays. I thought our guys did a great job of that. Rowdy [Jordan], Luke [Hancock], Kellum [Clark] and Brad [Cumbest] all had big days at the park.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Max Pinto hit a solo home run to right field to start the game.
Samford 1, Mississippi State 0
Bottom First
Rowdey Jordan doubled to right field and advanced to third on Tanner Allen’s single to second base. A ground out scored Jordan to tie the game early.
Mississippi State 1, Samford 1
Bottom Second
Kellum Clark singled before Lane Forsythe reached on a fielder’s choice and Jordan singled to load the bases before Kamren James walked pushed the first run across. With two outs, Luke Hancock singled through the right side to plate two.
Mississippi State 4, Samford 1
Bottom Fourth
Jordan doubled down the left field line, stole third base and scored on Allen’s groundout.
Mississippi State 5, Samford 1
Top Fifth
Kaden Dreier hit a solo home run to left center to lead off the inning. Will David reached on a fielding error and advanced on a double for Taylor Garris before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Pinto.
Mississippi State 5, Samford 3
Bottom Sixth
Brad Cumbest doubled to left field and advanced to third on a line out before he scored on a sacrifice fly byForsythe.
Mississippi State 6, Samford 3
Bottom Seventh
Allen singled to center and advanced on a hit-by-pitch for James. A single through the right side by Hancock pushed one across before a line out by Logan Tanner brought another run in.
Mississippi State 8, Samford 3
Top Eighth
Sonny DiChiara hit a solo home run to left field.
Mississippi State 8, Samford 4
Up Next
Mississippi State will face the winner of Campbell/VCU at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 5.