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No. 5 Mississippi State Baseball Shuts Down Central Michigan in 7-2 Starkville Regional Win

MSU is one win away from continuing its postseason in the Super Regional round.

By Collin Wilmes
Hail State Pics/Mississippi State Athletics

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 5 Mississippi State baseball team took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, as the Diamond Dawgs ended Central Michigan’s NCAA-best 19-game winning streak with a 7-2 win in Day 2 of the NCAA Regional Tournament Saturday night at Dudy Noble Field.

MSU (48-13) is now one win away from continuing its postseason in the Super Regional round at Dudy Noble next week. Central Michigan (47-13) will now face Miami in Sunday’s elimination game, with the winner facing MSU.

Sophomores Jordan Westburg and Tanner Allen got things going in the first inning with a pair of one-out singles before senior Elijah MacNamee knocked in two runs with a double to right field. Sophomores Rowdey Jordan and Josh Hatcher then added a pair of RBI singles later in the inning to give the Dawgs a 4-0 lead.

State would add two more runs in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead. A trio of singles from sophomore Justin Foscue, junior Dustin Skelton and Jordan began the inning, with Jordan knocking in Foscue with an RBI single. An RBI single from Hatcher followed to end the scoring for the third frame.

The Chippewas ended the shutout in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Zavier Warren hit a single through the right side. Junior Zach Gilles then hit a two-run home run to right field to make it 6-2.

Allen added an insurance run in the ninth inning with a solo home run to right field.

Offensively, MSU outhit Central Michigan 16-6. Allen had a game-high four hits in the contest to go along with two runs scored and one RBI. Hatcher added two RBIs on 3-for-4 hitting. Foscue, Skelton and Jordan all chipped in with two hits apiece.

Redshirt-junior Ethan Small (9-2) struck out 10 batters in six innings of work to earn the win. He allowed two runs on five hits and surrendered three walks.

Juniors Riley Self and Colby White then each pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, respectively. Graduate student Cole Gordon then came into the game in the ninth to close the door.

Junior Cameron Brown (10-1) was charged with the loss after tossing 2 1⁄3 innings where he allowed six runs on 13 hits. He struck out one batter.

The Dawgs will be back in action Sunday at 8 p.m. CT.

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