Mississippi State Blanks Southern University

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State scored four of its five runs in the eighth inning an took the midweek contest with Southern University 5-0 Wednesday evening at Dudy Noble Field.

The Diamond Dawgs improved to 15-15 (2-7 SEC). WIth the loss, the Jaguars dropped to 7-19.

State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jake Mangum doubled and later scored on an RBI-groundout by Tanner Allen.

The game stayed at 1-0 until the Diamond Dawgs got things going and scored four runs in the eighth inning.

Justin Foscue got the inning going with a with a leadoff walk. After a ground ball out, Marshall Gilbert singled and moved Foscue to third base. Jordan Anderson then hit an RBI-single to push the lead to 2-0. Mangum was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and wild pitch scored the inning’s second run. Luke Alexander walked to load the bases for the second time in the frame, and Allen followed with an RBI-single. A wild pitch scored the game’s final run to make it 5-0 in State’s favor.

MSU and Southern both had five hits in the game, and Southern stranded 10 base runners. Hunter Stovall, Allen, Mangum, Gilbert and Anderson each had a hit apiece.

Eight MSU pitchers combined on a five-hitter. Denver McQuary got the start on the mound and pithed the first two innings. Kale Breaux, Riley Self, Jared Liebelt, Keegan James, Josh Hatcher and Zach Neff then pitched. Blake Smith had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning. Self (1-0) earned the win.

John Guienze (0-2) was charged with the loss for the Jaguars. He pitched four innings, allowing one run on one hit.

The Diamond Dawgs will return to SEC play this weekend with a three-game series against rival Ole Miss (25-4, 6-3 SEC). The series will begin Friday with a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch at Dudy Noble Field.