Pitching staff fans 15 batters, offense scores six times in the fifth for series-opening win
STARKVILLE – After falling behind 3-1 to visiting Kent State, No. 2 Mississippi State baseball’s pitching staff retired 19 straight batters and the offense turned in a six-run fifth inning to come away with a series-opening, 8-3, win on Friday (March 5) night at Dudy Noble Field.
The two teams exchanged first-inning runs, before Kent State (3-3) grabbed a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the second. Brandon Smith relieved Mississippi State (7-2) starting pitcher Christian MacLeod with two outs and the bases loaded in the second inning, and Kent State wouldn’t see another base runner until the ninth inning.
From there, the Diamond Dawg offense scored six times in the fifth inning behind eight straight batters reaching base and notched a single run in the eighth to cap the 8-3 victory.
Smith (2-0) threw 4 1/3 innings of relief work and sat down all 13 batters he faced, including five via strikeout, to earn the win. Will Bednar fired a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts and Carlisle Koestler walked one and struck out four in two scoreless innings to close out the game.
At the plate, Luke Hancock added his team-best fourth multi-RBI game of the season and extended his reached base streak to 10 games dating back to 2020 with a single and a walk. Rowdy Jordan and Tanner Allen each scored a pair of runs, with Jordan chipping in two hits and Allen adding one RBI.
Logan Tanner extended his reached base streak to four games with four walks in the series opener. It is the first time since 2015 that a Diamond Dawg walked four times in a game. That season Seth Heck drew four free passes against Marshall on February 21. The second-year freshman added an eighth-inning single and was officially 1-for-1 on the night.
MSU stole six bases in the game, including three from Kamren James. It is the most stolen bases in a game since Derrick Armstrong stole four bases against Michigan State on March 1, 2014. Along with his three stolen bases, James walked twice, scored one run and drove in one RBI.
For Kent State, Mack Timbrook hit his first home run of the season and Cam Touchette had two of KSU’s four hits. On the mound, Ryan Lane (ND) allowed one run on one hit in 3 1/3 innings of work. Collin Romel (0-2) came on and threw four innings of relief work and allowed six runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Quotable
Head coach Chris Lemonis
On how his team has responded to slow starts early in the season
CL: It’s a competitive and gritty group and we are talented. I keep telling them, we are winning, beating some good teams, and playing some good baseball but we are nowhere near playing our best baseball. We are in the process of pulling ourselves out, growing, and getting better at trying to get some guys hot. Tonight, I thought we did some great things on the bases. Being able to run bases and put some pressure when its available to us. It’s a young group in a lot of ways but, as you do this more and more and come back game after game, it doesn’t bother them. Some teams it bothers them when they get behind. We feel like we have the play from behind right now.
Scoring Recap
Top First
A leadoff single from Cam Touchette advanced all the way to third as a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt put runners on the corners with no outs. A Justin Miknis infield single scored the runner from third.
Kent State 1, Mississippi State 0
Bottom First
Rowdey Jordan tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a Scotty Dubrule ground out.
Mississippi State 1, Kent State 1
Top Second
Mack Timbrook launched a one-out home run to right field. Kevin Dobos walked with two outs, advanced to second on Touchette’s single and, after a walk loaded the bases, scored on a wild pitch.
Kent State 3, Mississippi State 1
Bottom Fifth
Rowdey Jordan started the inning with a single before Dubrule walked. Tanner Allen’s single plated Rowdey Jordan from second and Dubrule moved to third. Logan Tanner walked to load the bases, before Josh Hatcher was hit-by-pitch to score Dubrule and tie the game. Luke Hancock singled to drive in a pair of runs and give State the lead for good. Kamren James recorded an RBI on a fielder’s choice and scored on Landon Jordan’s single through the right side.
Mississippi State 7, Kent State 3
Bottom Eighth
Allen walked and stole second with two outs before Tanner drove him home with a base hit.
Mississippi State 8, Kent State 3
Up Next
Mississippi State and Kent State will play the second game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 6.