Mississippi State did not get out of the gate the way it wanted to Saturday night, then fell behind again in the middle innings, but the dangerous Bulldog lineup found its way in a six run 7th, and Colby White and Cole Gordon took care of the final six outs to give MSU an 8-5 win over the Rebels, taking the series. State trailed 2-0 after 1, which could have been more if not for a controversial runner’s interference call that broke up a potential RBI single for the Rebels’ Jacob Adams. State will tie the game with runs in the 3rd and 4th, but fall behind again after Ole Miss scored in the fifth and sixth. The six run 7th inning put the game to bed for MSU, as the Rebels were only able to get within one in the bottom half. MSU improves to 41-10, 17-9 in the SEC.
BULLDOG BATS BREAK OUT LATE
That was fun 🥳#HailState🐶 | @rowdey_jordan86 pic.twitter.com/PezboeHhy0
— Mississippi State Baseball ⚾️ (@HailStateBB) May 12, 2019
Mississippi State had struggled to get anything going offensively prior to the seventh, having only scored 1 run in the third with bases loaded nobody out, but when the Bulldog bats finally caught fire, they exploded for six runs, putting State on top once and for all. It started with back to back doubles from Dustin Skelton and Gunner Halter, then a Marshall Gilbert walk set the table for Jake Mangum, who delivered as he always does to tie the game. From there State would add four more scores and grab control from Ole Miss who had already led 2-0 and 4-2. This isn’t the first time the Bulldogs have to find the offense late, the common thread all season has been it’s nearly impossible to keep the bats quiet for nine innings.
BULLPEN OWNS THE LATE INNINGS
Give 'em the heat 🔥
Colby White Ks all three batters he faces and we're headed to the ninth up north.#HailState🐶 | @Colbywhite5 pic.twitter.com/kWeV4raEW0
— Mississippi State Baseball ⚾️ (@HailStateBB) May 12, 2019
Mississippi State did not mess around in the final two innings, turning it over to their best relievers. Colby White was particularly impressive, striking out the side in the eighth, mixing his mid 90’s fastball with some low 80’s offspeed stuff that had the Rebel batters completely fooled. With the top of the order coming up in the ninth, Coach Chris Lemonis turned to his closer Cole Gordon, who got a strikeout and a double play around an infield single to finish it up. White’s emergence with a second pitch has made him a reliever to fear, and Gordon just continues to play at a consistently high level. On a day where MSU starter JT Ginn wasn’t at his best, his bullpen picked him up in the final frames to take the series.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Mississippi State will look to sweep Ole Miss for the second straight time in Oxford, after already having clinched its 4th straight series win over its instate rivals. State will put Peyton Plumlee on the hill to take on the Rebels’ freshman left hander Gunnar Hogland. First pitch is set for noon in Oxford.
Photo courtesy of Ole Miss athletics
