Harding throw five scoreless innings of relief, Tullar collects first career save in series finale
STARKVILLE – For the third time this season in SEC play, the No. 4 Mississippi State baseball program ended a weekend with a series sweep, this time after a 10-5 win over Texas A&M to close out a doubleheader at Dudy Noble Field on Saturday (May 1).
The two teams traded runs early on, as Texas A&M (24-22, 5-16 SEC) led 2-0 and 3-2 in the early stages of the game. Mississippi State (32-10, 14-7 SEC) rattled off seven straight runs to take control of the series finale, before the Aggies put up two in the eighth. The Bulldogs tallied one in the ninth to cap the scoring.
Since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012-13, the two programs have met in all eight of those seasons and only once before has the home team won a series (2015, Texas A&M). That changed on Saturday, as State swept the three games at Dudy Noble Field to win its second straight series over the Aggies.
Six different Diamond Dawgs posted multi-hit games, led by a three-hit, three-RBI night for Brad Cumbest and three hits from Logan Tanner. The quartet of Tanner Allen, Scotty Dubrule, Luke Hancock and Rowdey Jordan each chipped in two hits apiece.
Along with moving his reached base streak to 27 games, Jordan drove in three RBIs in the nightcap. Tanner Leggett was on base twice and drove in two RBIs in the series finale, as well. Cumbest scored three times in the finale, as all nine starters chipped in at least one hit in the final game of the series.
Houston Harding (5-1) came on in relief and fired five shutout innings to earn the win. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out four batters. Cam Tullar (1) picked up his first career save, as he appeared in all three games on the weekend. In the series finale, Tullar struck out two and didn’t allow a base runner in one and two-thirds innings.
While the pitching staff saw its streak to double-digit strikeout games end at 21, the staff piled up nine more strikeouts to run the season total to a NCAA-best 540. Of the 11 Texas A&M hits surrendered in the series finale, each went for just a single.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On Houston Harding’s performance
CL: Well to bridge the game like he did [was huge]. We were having a tough time and we didn’t have a lot in the bullpen, so for him to give us five shutout innings there after he came in with two on and no outs—I gave him the shirt after the game because I felt like it was the biggest moment of the game. He was able to help us win and help us have a good bullpen late in the game.
On getting the sweep
CL: I thought we played our best in the second game today, too. I thought the first two games, we were okay and we’re still able to win games. I don’t know if it was exams or graduation or whatever, I just felt like our energy was a little bit down. The third game, the most tired game, I thought we had the most effort and I was happy to see them respond. I kind of jumped on them after the first game today. I felt like we missed a lot of opportunities and I didn’t want us to sit back and think about how we took the series. It’s never about taking the series, it’s about us winning the next game. I was really pleased with the way they played tonight.
Scoring Recap
Top Second
Mikey Hoehner walked before a single by Ray Alejo put runners on the corners. Back-to-back singles by Austin Bost and Will Frizzell scored two runs for the early Aggie lead.
Texas A&M 2, Mississippi State 0
Bottom Second
Scotty Dubrule reached on a fielder’s choice before atwo-run home run by Brad Cumbest tied up the game.
Mississippi State 2, Texas A&M 2
Top Third
Logan Britt singled to third base and advanced on a walk and wild pitch before scoring on Hoehner’s single.
Texas A&M 3, Mississippi State 2
Bottom Third
Tanner Allen singled through the right side, making his way around the diamond before scoring on Luke Hancock’s base hit up the middle.
Mississippi State 3, Texas A&M 3
Bottom Fourth
Cumbest singled and stole second before he scored on Lane Forsythe’s double. An RBI single through the right side for Rowdey Jordan plated one more.
Mississippi State 5, Texas A&M 3
Bottom Seventh
Logan Tanner reached on a fielding error before three straight singles pushed two across for State. Forsythe reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases and a Jordan’sbase hit allowed two more to cross the plate.
Mississippi State 9, Texas A&M 3
Top Eighth
Hoehner and Alejo walked and scored on a single Bost and a sacrifice fly from Hunter Coleman, respectively.
Mississippi State 9, Texas A&M 5
Bottom Eighth
Tanner and Dubrule singled before back-to-back walks pushed the final run across.
Mississippi State 10, Texas A&M 5
Up Next
Mississippi State will spend next week in the Palmetto State for games with The Citadel and South Carolina. The week begins with a 6 p.m. CT contest against head coach Chris Lemonis’ alma mater The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday (May 5). The three-game SEC series with South Carolina begins on Friday (May 7) at 6 p.m. CT.