Lewis' 5-RBI Afternoon Powers State Past Loyola Marymount 8-5
| Lewis hit his second home run of the year in the sixth inning. |
Lewis' second home run of the year gave the Bulldogs a 7-5 lead and made a winner of senior starting pitcher Tanner Brock (3-0). Brock walked four, allowed five hits and gave up five runs, three in a first-inning burst by the Lions.
Bill Lockin went 2-for-4, opening the game with a single and scoring the first of LMU's three runs when Joe Frazee lashed a double down the left field line. A walk, an infield groundout and a single by Christian Campos staked LMU starter Kevin Jenson (1-4) to a 3-0 lead.
But Jenson gave up singles to the first four batters he faced in the game and the Bulldogs batted through the order in a four-run first inning. Cleanup hitter Jason Burkley got the MSU scoring started with a bases-loaded two-run single to left.
LMU tied the score at 4-4 in the fourth on a two-out single by Lockin. The Lions regained the lead in the sixth when Jonathan Oller reached on an error and later scored on Lockin's sacrifice fly to center field.
That lead disappeared in the bottom of the sixth. Jon Mungle and Steve Gendron reached on singles and Lewis drove them home with his home run to right-center. Lewis, who went a career-best 4-for-4 in Friday's 7-1 series-opening win, delivered a two-out single in the seventh to drive in the Bulldogs' final run and cap a career-best five-RBI afternoon.
Jonathan Papelbon shut out the Lions over the final three innings, yielding a hit and a walk en route to his second save.
Jenson took the loss for LMU. giving up 13 hits and all eight runs during his 6-1/3 inning stint on the mound. Nicholas Lovato and Vincent Cordova combined to shut the Bulldogs out the remainder of the game.
A pair of lefthanders -- MSU junior Joey Collums (1-0, 2.25) and LMU junior Joshua Muecke (1-3, 6.08), are the projected starting pitchers for Sunday's 11 a.m. series finale at Dudy Noble Field.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 8, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 5LMU (5-14) 300 101 000 -- 5-8-1 MSU (9-1-1) 400 003 10x -- 8-16-2WP -- Tanner Brock (3-0). LP -- Kevin Jenson (1-4).SV -- Jonathan Papelbon (2). HR -- Brent Lewis (2).T -- 2:53. ATT -- 1,162 (5,998 paid).