Bulldogs Rally For 5-4 Win, Earn Sweep Of Arizona
* Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State scored twice in the sixth and eighthinnings Sunday afternoon to lift the sixth-ranked Bulldogs (11-0) to a 5-4win over Arizona (10-8). The win gave the Bulldogs a sweep of theirthree-game Cadence Bank Classic series at Dudy Noble Field and extendedtheir season-opening win streak to 11 games, second-longest in schoolhistory. Coupled with top-ranked Georgia Tech's Sunday loss to Virginia, thewin also left Mississippi State as the college baseball's last unbeaten NCAADivision I team.
"To win a three-game series from a team of Arizona's caliber is a credit toour players," said Bulldog skipper Ron Polk. "Arizona has some outstandingpitchers and we did a nice job of putting the ball in play when we neededto."
It was the first time Arizona had been swept in a three-game series sincethe Wildcats dropped three games to Pac-10 Conference foe Washington in2004.
The Bulldogs, who trailed 4-1 after three innings, got to Arizona starterBrad Mills for two runs in the sixth. Mills retired the first two batters hefaced before walking Andy Rice and giving up an infield single to MichaelRutledge. The Wildcats turned to All-American relief ace Mark Melancon, butthe first batter he faced, Jeff Butts, laced a two-run triple into therightfield corner.
A double play helped Melancon work around a thomas Berkery single in theseventh. But Joseph Hunter and pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland singled and Ricedrew a bases-loading walk to open the eighth. State tied the score whenBrian LaNinfa's pinch-hit grounder was misplayed at first base. Brad Glenn,the UA first baseman, recovered in time to throw out Moreland at the plate.Melancon struck out Butts for the second out and reloaded the bases bywalking Jeffrey Rea. A Melancon pitch to Edward Easley got away from UAcatcher Konrad Schmidt, allowing Rice to score the winning run.
Senior Brett Cleveland, who followed freshman relief pitcher AaronWeatherford to the hill in the ninth inning retired the three batters hefaced in the ninth to successfully close the game and earn his third save ofthe season and his second of the weekend.
Weatherford, the third pitcher in the game for the Bulldogs, picked up thewin with an inning of scoreless relief. The rookie right-hander was taggedfor a double by Arizona DH Jason Donald but returned the next three battershe faced, the last two on strikeouts.
Sophomore John Lalor scattered eight of Arizona's nine hits, walked two andwas responsible for all four Wildcat runs. Freshman Chad Crosswhite followedLalor and pitched two innings of shutout relief, retiring six of the sevenbatters he faced.
Arizona used extra-base hits to claim a 4-1 lead in the game. Glenn doubledand Jon Gaston tripled to score the game's first run in the second inning.Schmidt then followed with a single to right to make it 2-0 Arizona.
State answered with a run in the second inning. UA starter Brad Mills walkedBrad Jones to open the inning, then struck Joseph Hunter with a pitch.Designated hitter Joseph McCaskill singled in Jones, but the Bulldogs failedto score again in the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
Arizona expanded its lead to 4-2 in the third. Eric Berger delivered atwo-out double and Glenn followed with his second home run of the year, atowering blast to left that gave the Wildcats a 4-1 advantage.
State left two runners stranded in scoring position in the third, had alead-off walk erased by a double play ball in the fourth, and strandedanother base-runner in the fifth. State coach Ron Polk was ejected by plateumpire Larry Short after MSU shortstop Thomas Berkery was called on strikes.
State got back in the game with two runs in its next at-bat and two inningslater scored the tying and go-ahead runs.
Mills gave up three runs on four hits with five walks and five strikeouts in5-2/3 innings. Melancon (3-2) gave up two runs (one earned), on four hitswith a walk and two strikeouts.
Arizona enjoyed a 9-8 lead in hits, with Berger and Glenn posting two-hitoutings. All Bulldog starters reached with a hit or a walk. Hunter led thehitters with a single and a double and Butts turned in a two-RBI showing.
Sunday's series finale drew a spring break crowd of 3,865 to Dudy NobleField, raising the weekend attendance total to 11,618 and making this year'sCadence Bank Classic the best-attended of the six early-season events.
Mississippi State travels to neighboring Alabama for a pair of midweekgames, visiting UAB Tuesday in a 6 p.m. contest and Jacksonville StateWednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs return to Dudy Noble Field this weekendto open Southeastern Conference competition, hosting 2005 NCAA College WorldSeries participant Tennessee in a three-game weekend set.