Monster offensive weekend ends with a sweep for Mississippi State in 12-1 run rule

It was the most dominating SEC series in Mississippi State history and it has the Diamond Dawgs likely headed to postseason.

Game three of the series against Missouri locked up a three-game sweep for State and produced the most explosive offensive performance in a conference slate in school history. State capped the weekend with its second run rule win in as many days taking down the Tigers 12-1 in seven innings.

Over the weekend, State had an incredible 50 runs, 47 hits, 15 home runs and 11 doubles in the three games. It was the most runs scored in an SEC series in school history. Most importantly, it had State (34-20, 15-15 SEC) finishing the year .500 in league play.

“Our focus was so narrow minded the last month or so. We wanted to put together great at bats and win with pitching and defense. We’re back in the hunt,” coach Justin Parker said on postgame radio. “The resilience, the ability to respond, mental toughness and we have great players. You get them out there playing with confidence, that’s the beauty of the game.”

Another big first inning sets the tone

As was the case all weekend long, State’s offense was relentless. The Diamond Dawgs scored multiple runs in the first inning in all three games and did most of the damage with two outs in the series. Saturday’s was the biggest of those first innings as the Bulldogs had six runs with two outs thanks to seven-straight batters reaching.

Hunter Hines was a part of that as the senior followed up his record-breaking 68^th career home run on Friday with a two-run shot in the first. He opened the door for the rest of the team to unload and build a big lead.

“To be able to do all of that with two outs was really amazing,” Parker said. “That was huge.”

MSU continued to build on that lead in the second inning with a two-run homer from Noah Sulivan. Leading 8-1, the Bulldogs got a run in the fourth and three more runs in the sixth led by a two-run double from Reed Stallman. State pitching took care of the rest of the work from there.

It was a second-straight strong start from senior RHP Karson Ligon. After allowing just one run in 5.0 innings against Ole Miss last week, the Bulldogs got 5.0 innings of one-run ball from Ligon, and he surrendered just three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Ligon retired 10-straight batters from the second inning until the fifth and took the fight out of the Tigers.

Behind Ligon, Ryan McPherson threw a scoreless sixth inning and freshman lefty Charlie Foster. It was the first appearance for Foster since March against Texas as the talented freshman has been working back from injury. Despite missing the last two months, he struck out the side and worked around a two-out hit.

“I don’t think it could have played out any better. Both of them got out there and got some work and probably will be available for Tuesday (at the SEC Tournament),” Parker said. “(Foster) has certainly missed some time but I thought he got out there and got some good work to knock some rust off.”

Dawgs red hot at the plate behind Reese

At the plate, State capped an amazing offensive weekend. The Diamond Dawgs scored double digit runs in all three games and had 11 hits on Saturday with Ace Reese, Ross Highfill and Noah Sullivan all managing two hits each.

Sullivan and Hines drove in the two runs on home runs while Stallman and Nolan Stevens also had two RBI. Reese hit his fourth home run of the series and finished 7-11 with three doubles and five walks. His 21^st home run of the season is second in the SEC and took the Bulldogs to a school-record-tying 97 this year.

“What an unbelievable weekend. The guy is lava hot right now. Just really fun to watch,” Parker said of Reese. “Can we bottle it up and give it to the rest of the guys?”

State now heads into postseason play as one of the hottest teams in the league. The Diamond Dawgs are 9-1 since the firing of head coach Chris Lemonis and have outscored their opponents 108-42 during that stretch. They had four run rules, three SEC series wins and two sweeps.

The run has locked up a Regional for the Bulldogs and now they have a chance for more wins in Hoover, Ala., at next week’s SEC Tournament. State plays on Tuesday against an opponent to be determined.