Powers Homers Twice As Diamond Dogs Blank Rhode Island, 9-0

Saturday, February 20

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

2-0

Rhode Island

0-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rhode Island	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Mississippi State	1	1	6	0	0	0	0	1	X	9	11	0

State First Baseman Connor Powers Drafted By Los Angeles Dodgers

Powers Homers Twice As Diamond Dogs Blank Rhode Island, 9-0

February 20, 2010 | Baseball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

• Official Statistics
• Official Statistics (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State freshman right-hander Chris Stratton won his collegiate pitching debut, throwing six innings of shutout baseball as the Bulldogs blanked Rhode Island 9-0 Saturday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs matched last season's 2-0 start by clinching the weekend series from the Rams. Saturday's outcome was much different than Friday night's come-from-behind 9-8 MSU victory. The comfort factor Saturday came from Stratton, who sparkled in his Bulldog debut.

"I felt pretty comfortable once the game got started," said Stratton, who was hurling for Tupelo High School last year at this time. "I had a few nerves going until I got the first out. With the way team played behind me today, all I had to do was throw the ball."

Stratton allowed four hits and faced 24 batters in his six innings of work. While tossing 86 pitches, Stratton struck out six batters and walked a pair. Kendall Graveman and C.C. Watson also made their Bulldog debuts as the pitching trio combined on a five-hit shutout.

For M-State pitching, it was their first shutout since a 10-0 win at UAB on April 7 of last year. Ironically, that was the only shutout by the Bulldogs last season.

"We are excited about what our freshmen can do," MSU head coach John Cohen said. "We aren't ready yet but today was a good step forward. The velocity and movement from all three freshmen were great."

While the young pups may be unknowns for the upcoming season, some veteran Bulldogs appear ready to continue their outstanding careers.

Senior first baseman Connor Powers slapped a pair of solo home runs. The team's leading long ball artist a year ago now has seven multi-homer games in the Maroon and White.

The second home run kick started a six-run third inning removing all doubt from the contest.

After the Powers' at-bat, Russ Sneed drew a walk and Jet Butler ripped a single to center field. Trey Johnson followed with a hit to load the bases. Jonathan Ogden connected for a sacrifice-fly. After another walk reloaded the bases, Nick Vickerson drove in a run as he reached as a hit batsman.

Ryan Collins followed with a two-run single. Cody Freeman also had an RBI-single.

The Bulldogs managed 11 hits. Both Collins and Powers had three hits. Powers also had three RBIs as he ripped an RBI-single to close the scoring in the eighth inning. Freeman and Johnson had multiple hits.

Oliver Palmer had two of URI's five hits. Starting pitcher Chris Pickering was chased in the third inning and took the loss.

The series concludes with a 1:30 p.m. start Sunday. MSU is slated to start senior left-hander Tyler Whitney. The homestand resumes with UAB in town Tuesday for a 4 p.m. first pitch.