Pitching Strong As Dogs Top Alabama In Fall Exhibition

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Pitching Strong As Dogs Top Alabama In Fall Exhibition

October 15, 2021 | Baseball

The defending national champions scored in the bottom of the 14th to break a tie

By: Joel Coleman, Senior Writer

STARKVILLE – Arms ruled the evening as Mississippi State hosted Alabama in a fall exhibition game on Friday night at Dudy Noble Field. In the end, the Bulldogs got just enough offense to come out on top.

The defending national champions scored in the bottom of the 14th to break a tie as MSU topped the Crimson Tide, 3-2. Corbin Grantham drove home the game's decisive run with a sacrifice fly that plated Davis Meche to push the Bulldogs to victory.

Grantham's clutch plate appearance made sure a strong evening from the State pitching staff didn't go to waste. A total of 12 different Bulldog hurlers kept the Crimson Tide at bay.

Jackson Fristoe, Preston Johnson, Parker Stinnett, Jack Walker, Cole Cheatham, KC Hunt, Mikey Tepper, Pico Kohn, Cade Smith, Brandon Smith, Brooks Auger and Stone Simmons all tossed at least one inning apiece for MSU. The dozen Diamond Dawgs limited Alabama to just six hits over Friday's 14 frames. Bulldog pitchers struck out 18 and walked just five.

The lone runs MSU surrendered came on a pair of Alabama solo homers. Owen Diodati connected for a long ball over the right-field wall in the first and Andrew Pinckney delivered a game-tying shot that knotted things at 2-2 in the top of the 14th.

The Bulldogs used a bit of pop to fuel their own offense. Trailing 1-0 after Diodati's early blast, MSU's Kamren James gave State a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Jess Davis led off the frame with a single and James followed with a long, two-run homer into the Left Field Lounge.

The hits by Davis and James were two of five total State knocks. Luke Hancock had a fourth-inning single, then in the bottom of the 14th, Meche's single ahead of a Von Seibert double set up Grantham's sacrifice fly that cemented the Bulldog triumph.

Mississippi State is set to return to the diamond on Monday to continue its Fall World Series with Game 4. The contest is set for 3 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field. Team Cheese currently holds a 2-1 lead in the series over Team Goat.

For more information on the Bulldog baseball program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateBB" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.