Mississippi State Falls to Cal State Fullerton, 13-2, in NCAA Super Regional Opener
Rouse hit two of his three roundtrippers off MSU starter Tanner Brock (7-2) during an eight-run, second-inning burst in which the Titans sent 12 batters to the plate. Brock was charged with eight runs, walked three, struck out one and hit another batter during his season-shortest 1-2/3 innings of pitching. Rouse delivered a massive solo shot over the center field fence to open the second and closed out the uprising with a three-run shot to right. He later opened the fourth inning with a solo shot to left and drove in two more runs with a double in the seventh.
Mississippi State (39-23), meanwhile, was silenced by the pitching of CSF starter Kirk Saarloos (15-2). The Titans ace blanked MSU over the first five innings, striking out nine during his seven-inning stint and allowing just Bulldog base runners during the five innings. State broke up the shutout in the sixth when Casey Long was hit by a pitch, advanced on a single by Michael Brown and scored on a single by Phillip Willingham. Brown later came home when Jason Burkley grounded into a double play. Saarloos gave up all four Bulldog hit and combined with relief pitchers Charlie Zahari and Sean Martin for 13 strikeouts. Willingham accounted for half of MSU's hit total with a pair of singles.
The Bulldogs, playing without hitting leader and starting left fielder Jon Knott, finished the game without its top RBI producer and another senior outfielder, Josh West. West injured his shoulder while diving to make a catch of a line drive during the second inning. Wests' status for Saturday is uncertain.
The 13 runs represented the most allowed by Buldog pitching this year while the 15 hits matches the season-high. Fresman Jonathan Papelbon replaced Brock in the second and finished the game with a season-best-matching seven strikeouts over a career-high 4-1/3 innings. Ryan Carroll worked the final two frames for the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State is expected to send freshman lefty Paul Maholm (8-4, 4.06 ERA) to the hill in Saturday night's Super Regional matchup.
CAL STATE FULLERTON 13, MSU 2
Mississippi State (39-23) 000 000 000 --- 2- 4- 1 Cal State Fullerton (45-16) 081 200 000 --- 13-15- 0
WP - Kirk Saarloos (15-2). LP --- Tanner Brock (7-2). HR - Rouse-3 (11).ATT - 3412. TIME - 2:39.
Brock, Papelbon (2), Carroll (7) and Burkley. Saarloos, Zahari (8), Martin (9) and Kay.
SCHEDULE NOTE: Game 2 of the best-of-three Super Regional Saturday at 9 p.m. CDT.