Diamond Dogs Down Panthers 8-1; Fall To Iowa 7-6

Saturday, March 5

Starkville

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

9-2

Georgia State

9-2

Georgia State

Mississippi State

Stratton Named To Midseason Watch List For 2012 Golden Spikes Award

Diamond Dogs Down Panthers 8-1; Fall To Iowa 7-6

March 05, 2011 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Behind the strong pitching of Chris Stratton, the Mississippi State baseball team built an early lead and cruised to an 8-1 victory over Georgia State on a blustery, cold night at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs were not as fortunate in Saturday's second contest. A late rally came up short as Iowa knocked off MSU, 7-6. In a contest which ran well past the midnight hour thanks to a six-hour rain delay before the start of play, the Bulldogs plated three ninth-inning scores but stranded a pair of base runners before the rally could become complete.

Stratton won for the third time in as many starts on the young campaign. The sophomore right-hander worked 6.2 innings, allowing two hits and one run (earned), with five walks and four strikeouts. The Tupelo native is 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA through 20.1 innings of work this season.

The Bulldogs (9-3) broke a scoreless tie with a lone run in the third inning. The lead expanded with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. The Panthers (9-2) scored their lone run in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs then closed business out with two runs in the sixth inning and three more scores in the seventh inning.

In the third inning, Nick Vickerson started things with a one-out walk. After Vickerson stole second base, he scored on an RBI-single from C.T. Bradford. The inning grew an inning later when Bradford drove in a pair of runs with a single.

Georgia State bunched a single, walk and groundout to plate its only run in the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs again took control with a two-run single from Cody Freeman in the sixth inning. The Bulldogs plated three unearned runs one at-bat later thanks to a pair of GSU errors. Jaron Shepherd singled and scored that frame, while Vickerson tripled and scored.

MSU finished with seven hits. Vickerson and Bradford each had multiple hits. Bradford had his third 3-RBI game with the Bulldogs.

Caleb Reed entered in relief and pitched 2.1 innings of hitless relief for the Maroon and White. Reed struck out a pair and walked none while notching his third save.

Nick Squeglia (1-1) worked five innings and took the loss. Joey Wood and Brandon Williams each had a hit for GSU's two-hit total.

In game two, Iowa's Nick Brown held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first five innings of his six innings of mound work. The Hawkeyes (3-5) struck quickly, by plating three runs in the top half of the first inning.

MSU starter Tim Statz (0-1) was lifted after facing two batters in the third inning. Statz allowed five hits and four runs (three earned), with two strikeouts and no walks.

For a second straight night, Trevor Willis was the Iowa hitting star. The Hawkeyes' lead-off man was 4-for-5 in both victories over MSU during the weekend series. Iowa pounded out 12 hits and also made the most of three MSU fielding errors, six walks and three hit batsmen.

The Bulldogs pounded out 10 hits. Parks and Collins each had multiple hits.

MSU tried to rally from down 7-0 by scoring twice in the sixth, once in the seventh and three times in the ninth.

The three day double round-robin event closes with Iowa and Georgia State playing at 11 a.m., and MSU facing Georgia State at 2:30 p.m. Freshman Evan Mitchell is expected to get the start for the Bulldogs.