Dogs Nip Tribe 5-4 To Complete Series Sweep
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Eighth-ranked Mississippi State scored three runs inthe sixth inning Sunday afternoon and the Bulldog bullpen made it stand upas MSU (6-0) completed a three-game series sweep of Arkansas State (7-5)with a 5-4 win at Dudy Noble Field.
Behind for just the second time this season, the Bulldogs overcame a 3-2deficit with the help of an Arkansas State fielding miscue. Thomas Berkeryand Brad Jones opened the inning with singles off ASU starter Nathan Gates(1-3). Gates struck out Joseph Hunter, but he next bulldog batter, AndyRice, dropped a single in front of left fielder Kevin Kull. The ball slippedpast Kull, allowing Berkery and Jones to score the tying and go-ahead runs.Rice ended up at third base on the play and scored on Michael Rutledge'stwo-out single.
"This was a good series for us," said Bulldog skipper Ron Polk. "ArkansasState has a nice ball club and they have shown they are capable of beatinggood teams. They gave us a tussle this weekend, and today we had to makesome plays and pitch well."
Arkansas State tightened the game in the seventh when Drew Rogers lashed adouble off MSU freshman relief pitcher Aaron Weatherford, advanced a base onoutfielder Tyler Doke's single through the left side of the infield, andTodd Boucher followed with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Indiansthreatened the next two innings, but had a baserunner thrown out at thirdbase on an infield grounder in the seventh and another runner nailed at theplate on an ill-fated stolen base attempt.
MSU struck for two first-inning runs with singles by Edward Easley andBerkery, a run-scoring double by Brad Jones and a sacrifice fly by Hunter.Josh Yates plated ASU's first run, opening the second with a double down theleft field line and scoring on a Michael Williams single. The Indiansparlayed a lead-off single by Brett Kinning and a double by Kull into agame-tying run in the fourth and took the lead an inning later on singles byTodd Boucher and Josh Allison.
State got its sixth quality pitching start in as many outings as sophomoreJohn Lalor (2-0) gave up single runs in three innings, scattering six hitswhile striking out four. Weatherford, after replacing Lalor in the seventh,gave up a run on four hits and left the game in the eighth with two runnersaboard after retiring one batter. Sophomore lefty Justin Pigott got out ofthe jam with four pitches and a successful pickoff that eventual retired anASU runner at the plate.
Senior relief pitcher Brett Cleveland came on to finish the game, strikingout two of the three batters he faced to earn his first save of the year.
Gatoes allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits with a walk and fourstrikeouts over seven innings and Tim Egart came on to pitch a scorelesseighth.
Easley, Berkery and Jones had two hits each to lead the Bulldogs whileKinning, Yates and Doke paced ASU at the plate.
The Bulldogs resume their season-opening homestand with a pair of midweekgames, hosting Louisiana Tech Tuesday and Louisiana-Monroe Wednesday in 4p.m. contests. Next weekend the Bulldogs entertain Pac-10 Conference powerArizona in the three-game Cadence Bank Classic.