Baseball Cruises Past Grambling in Midweek Tilt

Wednesday, March 13

Starkville

5:00 PM

Mississippi State

Grambling

Baseball Cruises Past Grambling in Midweek Tilt

March 13, 2019 | Baseball

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Mangum collects career hit No. 300 to become 24th SEC baseball student-athlete with 300 career hits

by: Greg Campbell, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Grambling scored the first run of the game, but the No. 7 Mississippi State baseball team tallied the next 18, as the Bulldogs came away with an 18-1 victory on Wednesday (March 13) evening at Dudy Noble Field.

The Diamond Dawg (16-1) offense used 18 hits and eight walks to pile up the 18 runs, while the pitching staff allowed just one unearned run on six Tiger (7-9) hits. Six different MSU pitchers combined to strike out 11 Grambling batters and freshman Eric Cerantola (3-0) picked up the win in relief.

It was a pair of seniors that provided the biggest hits of the night, as Jake Mangum piled up four hits to move his career total to 301 and Elijah MacNamee provided the power with a grand slam on his way to a five-RBI night.

Mangum became the 24th SEC baseball student-athlete to reach the 300-hit plateau and the fifth Diamond Dawg to eclipse the mark. Sitting at 301 career hits, Mangum joins Jeffery Rae (335; 2004-07), Richard Lee (328; 1995-98), Travis Chapman (327; 1997-2000) and Steve Gendron (2001-04) in the exclusive club at MSU. The Pearl, Mississippi native also moved into a tie for No. 4 on the career doubles charts at Mississippi State with his 55th career two-base hit, equaling Dan Van Cleve's total from 1982-85.

Joining Mangum and MacNamee with multi-hit performances were sophomore's Tanner Allen (3), Josh Hatcher (2) and Jordan Westburg (2), along with freshman Luke Hancock (2). Hancock added three RBIs on the night, while Allen and Hatcher each collected a pair of RBIs. Junior Gunner Halter reached base four times – one hit and three walks – scoring four runs. Mangum and Allen each posted four runs scored, as well.

Quotable
Head Coach Chris Lemonis
On if he is happy with his team entering SEC play
"If you would have told me we'd be where we are right now at the beginning, I'd tell you I'd take it. I think we've learned a lot. We had to learn so much about our pitching, I felt like, and our position players, but mainly our pitching. We've had some guys really develop roles in a short amount of time that I'm excited about."

On Jake Mangum's night
"I like to sit back and watch. [There are] times where he's such an aggressive player. When he relaxes and lets the game come to him, he is so talented. Every contact tonight was barreled-up and to all parts of the field. Then he makes that play late in left-center – he's just a talented player."

Senior Elijah MacNamee
On how much the team is focused on the win total
"I am going to be completely honest, when we win I have no idea what win it is. I have no idea what number we're on. I think that's how everyone is and that's what's pretty cool. The only time we know is when we get the [player of the game] shirt at the end of the game. That's probably why we are being successful, now that you say that. We just come out do what we're supposed to and focus, one pitch at a time."

Quick Hitters
Mississippi State
Elijah MacNamee – Had a pair of hits and drove in five RBIs. Hit a grand slam in the five-run sixth inning.
Tanner Allen – Reached base six times, scored four runs, posted three hits, walked three times and drove in two RBIs.
Jake Mangum – Piled up four hits to move his career total to 301, making him the fifth Diamond Dawg and 24th SEC baseball student-athlete to reach the 300-hit mark. Added four runs scored, two RBIs and a walk in the game.
More Multi-Hits – Sophomore's Josh Hatcher and Jordan Westburg, along with freshman Luke Hancock each posted two hits on the night.
Staff Outing – Six State pitchers allowed just six hits, walked three and struck out 11 batters in the game, allowing just one unearned run on the night.

Grambling
Garrett Smith – Singled, walked and scored a run.
Kristian Franks – Singled and walked in the game.

Scoring Recap
Top Fourth
A couple of two-out Mississippi State errors allowed the Tigers to get on the board first, as a one-out walk by Garrett Smith eventually scored on back-to-back misplays. A fielding error by Justin Foscue at third base extended the inning and then Tanner Allen wasn't able to catch Foscue's throw in the next at-bat, allowing Smith to cross the plate. Freshman Eric Cerantola got the final out via strikeout to limit Grambling to just one run.
Grambling 1, Mississippi State 0

Bottom Fourth
Mississippi State answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Allen started the inning with a single and came around to score after Elijah MacNamee singled and the ball was misplayed in right field. MacNamee ended up on third base and scored three batters later on a Josh Hatcher double to left-center field.
Mississippi State 2, Grambling 1

Bottom Fifth
The Bulldogs put up five runs on three hits and benefited from one Tiger error. Gunner Halter started the inning reaching via a two-base error, before Mangum singled to plate the first run. Jordan Westburg followed with a triple, scoring Mangum, and, after a walk to Allen, scored on a MacNamee sacrifice fly. A Luke Hancock RBI single with two outs was followed by a Hatcher RBI triple to cap the five-run inning.
Mississippi State 7, Grambling 1

Bottom Sixth
The first five batters of the inning reached, as Halter, Mangum and Westburg all singled to load the bases, before Allen drew a bases-loaded walk to score the first run of the frame. MacNamee then hit a towering 380-foot home run to clear the base and make it a 12-1 game.
Mississippi State 12, Grambling 1

Bottom Seventh
Halter and Mangum started the seventh with back-to-back walks and Allen singled with one out to load the bases for pinch-hitter freshman Bryce Brock. In his first collegiate at-bat, Brock singled to center field to plate his first career RBI. Following a strikeout, Hancock delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to move the score to 16-1.
Mississippi State 16, Grambling 1

Bottom Eighth
Again, in the eighth, Halter got the inning started, this time with a one-out walk and Mangum followed with an RBI double. After a walk to Westburg, Allen doubled to left field, scoring Mangum to account for the final run of the game.
Mississippi State 18, Grambling 1

Up Next
Mississippi State will begin Southeastern Conference play with a three-game series against Florida in Gainesville March 15-17. The Bulldogs and Gators will kick off the series at 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, March 15 (SECN+), before playing at 1 p.m. CT on the SEC Network both Saturday (March 16) and Sunday (March 17).