Bulldog Rookie Hurlers Sparkle As State Tops Michigan State, Southeast Missouri

Saturday, March 6

Starkville

11:00 AM

Mississippi State

6-3

Michigan State

5-3

Michigan State

Mississippi State

Stratton Earns SEC Freshman Of Week Honors

Bulldog Rookie Hurlers Sparkle As State Tops Michigan State, Southeast Missouri

March 06, 2010 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

• Official Statistics (vs. Michigan State)
• Official Statistics (vs. Michigan State) (PDF)
• Official Statistics (vs. Southeast Missouri State)
• Official Statistics (vs. Southeast Missouri State) (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Freshman right-hander Chris Stratton allowed two runs and struck out nine to lead Mississippi State (7-3) to a 3-2 win over Southeast Missouri and a sweep of two Saturday games in the second annual BankFirst Baseball Challenge at Dudy Noble Field. Earlier in the day the Bulldogs turned back Michigan State 7-4.

A season-largest gathering of 4,053 watched the doubleheader action on a cool but cloudless day.

The Bulldogs conclude play in the three-day, double round-robin event Sunday, testing Michigan State (5-3) in a 2:30 p.m. contest.

In his longest outing and the second-longest performance by a Bulldog pitcher this season, Stratton held the Redhawks (4-6) scoreless over the first seven frames before yielding a pair of runs in the eighth inning.

Stratton retired the first batter he faced in the eighth and left the game after giving up a pair of singles. Both runners scored on a double by Michael Adamson, the first batter faced by relief pitcher Devin Jones. Jones worked out of the jam in the eighth and left two runners stranded in the ninth to earn his first career save.

"I was very pleased with Chris today," said Bulldog skipper John Cohen. "He's been a slow starter, but once he gets his rhythm, he is really good."

Adamson had two hits as the Redhawks out-hit State 8-7.

Outfielders Ryan Collins, Jaron Shepherd and Luke Adkins combined for six of MSU's hits. Collins matched a season best with a 3-for-4 plate performance while Shepherd's two-hit showing included a two-run single in the third that gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. An inning later Collins singled, stole second, and scored State's other run on a two-out safety by Atkins.

"We didn't have as many good swings as I would have liked," continued Cohen. "We hit the ball hard, but right at guys. And we had two big base-running mistakes that cost us."

JSEMO starter Jordan Underwood (0-2) gave up three runs in four innings and took the loss. Jon Dicus followed with four innings of scoreless two-hit relief.

In the opener, Kendall Graveman threw 5-2/3 innings of sparkling middle inning relief as State knocked off Michigan State 7-4

The Bulldogs sprinted to a quick 3-0 lead with three scores in the first inning. MSU had three doubles in that including run-producing two-baggers by Shepherd and Jet Butler. Michigan State answered with three runs in the second inning, including a game-tying two-run home run by Chris Roberts off MSU freshman starter Chad Girodo. Girodo was replaced by Graveman in the third inning, and the rookie right-hander allowed five and one run in 5.2 innings of relief. It was a season-longest pitching performance by Graveman and the longest relief stint by a Bulldog pitcher in 2010. A third Bulldog freshman pitcher, Ben Bracewell, fanned the three batters he faced in the ninth to register MSU's first save of the campaign.

"Our freshman pitchers have the skill sets to be successful for a long time," Cohen said. "We have to keep diminishing our mistakes.

The Bulldogs finished with eight hits. Luke Adkins and Shepherd were the lone multiple hitters for the Maroon and White. Michigan State had 10 hits, with two each by Brandon Eckerle, Roberts and Ryan Jones

Starting pitcher Kurt Wunderlich (2-1) was charged with five runs on seven hits in a seven-inning mound stint and took the loss.

The Bulldogs are expected to start freshman Luke Bole (0-0, 9.00) against Michigan State in Sunday's finale of the BankFirst Baseball Challenge. The Spartans meet Southeast Missouri in an 11 a.m. contest.