Stephen Provides State With Another Stellar Start
May 31, 2024 | Baseball
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., - Khal Stephen spun a gem in Mississippi State's opening game of the Charlottesville Regional against St. John's on Friday evening.
The ace right-hander gave the Bulldogs eight solid innings of work with 10 strikeouts, no walks and surrendered just two runs while throwing 78.2 percent of his pitches for strikes.
But it was far from the first time that Stephen has been spectacular on the mound this season. The junior has been MSU's workhorse, logging six or more innings in 12 of his 16 starts and has set the tone for the team in each series.
 "He did an unbelievable job tonight," head coach Chris Lemonis said of Stephen. "He was just so efficient in those middle innings. He does that in all his starts and gives us a chance to get there late. It's been a huge piece for our team and bullpen all year because he sets up our weekends. It's not just winning; he takes the ball for such a long time and sets up the bullpen for the rest of the weekend."
Friday's start matched the longest outing of his career and was only one strikeout shy of his personal best. Equally as impressive was just how efficient the Purdue transfer was with his pitches, pumping 79 of his 99 pitches in for strikes.
"I think it was just sticking to the plan and being aggressive from the get-go," Stephen said. "I was just trying to get that first guy out and just roll from there."
Stephen struck out three of the first six batters he saw, retired eight in a row to start the game and faced the minimum through the first three frames. A bloop two-run single with two outs in the top of the fourth was the only blow the Red Storm dealt to the first team All-SEC selection all night.
Stephen quickly settled back in following the game-tying hit and only allowed two more baserunners the rest of the way while adding six more strikeouts to his tally, including three punch outs in his final frame.
"I have a good fastball so we were going to play with that," Stephen said. "I found my slider there in the middle and late in the game and just kind of switched it up a little bit. Giving guys different at bats every single time is something that's just going to help out and give them something to think about. I definitely just stayed on the attack with everything."
St. John's starter, Xavier Kolhosser, managed to match Stephen's stellar showing on the mound. Kolhosser logged 8 2/3 innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking two.
"It's just a battle every time I'm out there, that's really all it is – me attacking their guys," Stephen said. "Obviously, their starter had a great outing and had a really strong game so for me to give my team an opportunity and just keep us in it, that was everything."
Lemonis and pitching coach Justin Parker had to pry the baseball out of Stephen's hand before the Diamond Dawgs took the field for the top of the ninth and reluctantly gave way to closer Tyler Davis. Davis continued the mound dominance by tossing two more shutout innings to set the stage for Dakota Jordan's walk-off three-run homer with two away in the bottom of the 10th.
"We've got dudes on this team and they continue to show up," Stephen said. "I don't think there's any confidence lost in our dugout. We know our guys are going to show up and give it all they've got."
