Crosby Nails Down MSU Series Win In SEC Debut As A Starter

Sunday, March 20

Starkville

Mississippi State

Vanderbilt

Crosby Nails Down MSU Series Win In SEC Debut As A Starter

March 20, 2005 | Baseball

Official Game Statistics STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State pitcher Jon Crosby earned a win in hisfirst Southeastern Conference start as the No. 18 Bulldogs defeated17th-ranked Vanderbilt 5-1 Sunday afternoon. Crosby, from Germantown, Tenn.,scattered five hits over six innings of work as MSU captured the openingweekend SEC series before 1,554 at Dudy Noble Field. Vanderbilt took theseries opener 10-3 Friday night before the Bulldogs bounced back with a 5-3win Saturday. "This was a good weekend for our ball club," MSU coach Ron Polk said."Vanderbilt has a quality pitching staff. We had to make the most of ouropportunities this weekend." MSU improved to 13-3 overall, 2-1 in conference play and 12-1 at home thisseason. Vanderbilt, playing its first games outside of Nashville thisseason, fell to 14-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Junior outfielder Joseph Hunter of Germantown, Tenn., extended hiscareer-best hitting streak to 12 games with a single up the middle to openthe second inning. Hunter raced to third on a failed pick-off attempt by VUstarter Matt Buschmann and then scored on Brian LaNinfa¹s infield groundout.Buschmann walked a pair of batters in the fourth inning and gave upback-to-back RBI doubles by LaNinfa and Thomas Berkery as MSU extended itslead to 3-0, Vandy plated its lone run in the fifth on a pair of fielder¹s choice infieldgrounders and a run-scoring two-out single to left by Antoan Richardson. But the the Bulldogs answered quickly with two more runs in the bottom ofthe inning. Jeff Butts opened the frame with a walk and Brad Corley smoked adouble inside the bag at third base to score one run and end Buschmann¹sstay in the game. Corley then scored on Hunter¹s second hit of the game, asingle through the right side of the vandy infield. Rea, Corley, Hunter and Berkery each had a pair of hits for MSU while AlexFeinberg had two hits for Vanderbilt. Crosby (3-0), making his second career start and his first at Dudy NobleField and in SEC play, struck out two, walked one and faced 24 batters insix innings of work. Junior righty Brett Cleveland worked two innings ofscoreless relief and Saunders Ramsey retired the Commodores in order in theninth to close the game and seal MSU¹s seventh consecutive home series winover Vanderbilt. Matt Buschmann (2-2) allowed eight hits and was charged with five runs (fourearned). Freshman lefty David Price and senior righthander Ryan Rotecombined for four innings of three-hit, shutout relief for Vanderbilt. "Winning the first game gave us a lift in the series," Vanderbilt coach TimCorbin said. "To Mississippi State's credit, they responded with a pair ofgood games. They did a good job of getting base runners home." MSU closes a seven-game home stand with a pair of midweek contests againstNew Orleans. The Bulldogs and Privateers play at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 4p.m. Wednesday. MSU resumes SEC play at Arkansas this weekend. Mississippi State 5, Vanderbilt 1<pre>Vanderbilt (14-5, 1-2 SEC) 000 010 000 - 1 - 6 - 1MSU (13-3, 2-1 SEC) 010 220 00x - 5 -11 - 1</pre> WP-Jon Crosby (3-0). LP-Matt Buschmann (2-2). 2B-Dominic De La Osa (3); BradCorley (7), Brian LaNinfa (5), Thomas Berkery (3). T-2:20. A-1,554 (5,818paid).