Johnson Leads State in 3-1 Win Over Marist (Game 1)
* Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State plated three runs in the fourthinning and junior righthander Josh Johnson tossed 6-1/3 innings of one-hitshutout baseball to lead No. 11 MSU (2-0) to a 3-1 win over Marist (0-2) inthe opening game of a Sunday double-header at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs touched Marist starter George Heath (0-1) for three runs in thefourth. Joseph Hunter laced a single up the middle, advanced to third onBrian LaNinfa's single to right and scored on a bloop single to shallow leftby Andy Rice. Hunter and LaNinfa raced home moments later when Jeff Butt'stwo-out fly ball was dropped in right field.
State threatened to pull away from Marist in the sixth inning, loading thebases with a walk and singles by Matt Richardson and Thomas Berkery. Butrelief pitcher Mike Puckli, the last of three Marist pitchers in the game,retired the next two batters on fly balls to end the threat.
Johnson (1-0) retired the first 11 batters he faced before giving up aninfield hit in the fourth inning. Johnson struck out five and did not issuea walk before leaving the game after retiring the first Marist batter in theseventh inning.
Sophomore Justin Pigott replaced Johnson in the seventh, working out of ajam in the seventh and yielding an unearned run in the eighth. Max Mostsingled sharply past third base to open the inning, advanced to third baseon a Bulldog fielding error and a failed pickoff attempt at second base, andscored on Kyle Meyer's pinch-hit infield groundout. Pat Feeney opened theMarist ninth with a single to center field, but Pigott struck out the nextthree batters to end the game and earn the Bulldogs' first save of thecampaign.
Marist starter George Heath (0-1) was charged with all three runs, twounearned, allowing six hits in five innings. Josh Rickards pitched ascoreless inning in relief of Heath.
Andy Rice went 2-for-3 and drove in a run to pace MSU at the plate whileFeeney had two of Marist's four hits.
MSU 3, MARIST 1MARIST 000 000 010 --- 1-4-1MSU. 000 300 00x --- 3-8-2WP --- Josh Johnson (1-0). LP George Heath (0-1). SV Justin Pigott (1).T --- 2:15.