Diamond Dawgs handle Jackson State 16-3 in seven innings
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Mississippi State got back on track Tuesday night after being swept against No. 8 Texas to open SEC play.
The Diamond Dawgs welcomed Jackson State to Starkville and came away with a dominant 16-3 win in seven innings. State got a strong outing from its first two pitchers and brought the bats to make for an easy run-rule win.
It was a seven-run first inning that would do the damage for State (14-7, 0-3 SEC). The Diamond Dawgs had six hits in that first and put the first seven on base to start the inning. Reed Stallman’s three-run home run and two-run singles from Gatlin Sanders and Dylan Cupp brought in the runs.
The Bulldogs added two runs in the second, three in the fourth, a run in the fifth and three in the sixth.
“These games can be tricky sometimes. Coming out after big weekends and playing midweeks, I was happy with our focus and energy level,” coach Chris Lemonis said. “Getting a lead there let’s you play a little more relaxed and let a lot of guys play which is good for the team.”
It was a 13-hit barrage for the Bulldog lineup and JSU added 12 walks and two hit batters to the tally as well. 14 different batters got on base in the win with 11 earning a hit. Stallman led the way with his 2-for-3 night with a double, home run and three RBI.
Cupp was 2-for-3 as well with two RBI while Sanders drove in two runs on a hit and Joe Powell had a three-run home run. Sawyer Reeves walked three times and Michael O’Brien and Nolan Stevens walked twice.
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Noah Sullivan started the midweek game for the second week in a row. After starting last Wednesday against Nicholls in Biloxi and throwing 3.0 scoreless innings, he threw 3.0 more without a run surrendered with just one hit, no walks and four strikeouts.
“The big part is saving innings for our big-time guys that throw Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the pen,” Sullivan said. “This upcoming weekend is huge for us, so anything I can do to save innings is huge for us.”
Kevin Mannell threw 2.0 scoreless frames with one hit and six strikeouts and Duke Stone had a scoreless ninth with three strikeouts. The Bulldog pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts and just one walk in 7.0 frames.
State is right back into SEC play this weekend as the Bulldogs now prepare to take on the Oklahoma Sooners on the road in a three-game slate. No. 10 OU (17-2, 2-1 SEC) has been a surprise early this year and backed up their former Big 12 brethren Texas by winning the first series in their inaugural SEC season.
“We’ve been playing really good ball. We’ve been doing the right things. We have to make one more pitch. We have to field the ball better. I’ve got to get one more hit,” Sullivan said of the weekend. “It’s not just my fault, it’s not just one pitcher’s fault – it’s up and down the lineup. We’ve got to be that much cleaner.”
