No. 13 Bulldogs Top No. 2 Texas Tech

BILOXI, Miss. — The No. 13 Mississippi State baseball team made a statement Tuesday night with a 6-3 win over the No. 2 Texas Tech Red Raiders at MGM Park — the home of the Milwaukee Brewer’s Double A affiliate team.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 11-4, while the Red Raiders fall to 16-2.

This is by far the Bulldogs’ biggest win of the season as the Red Raiders’ only loss this season has been to Tennessee. MSU has now beat Texas Tech in back-to-back seasons after defeating the Red Raiders, 4-2, in last year’s Frisco Classic.

Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when sophomore Max Marusak singled up the middle, stole second and scored on a pair of errors.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Bulldogs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore Brad Cumbest blooped a single into the center field to get things going. He then advanced to second on a passed ball before sophomore Brandon Pimentel and junior Rowdey Jordan drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Junior Josh Hatcher’s single scored one tun before a bases-loaded walk scored another run. The third run of the frame came across to score on a sacrifice fly from freshman Kamren James.

A bases-loaded walk then allowed the Red Raiders to draw within a run at 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning. In the bottom half of the sixth, sophomore Landon Jordan came to the plate as a pinch hitter and drew a walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Pimentel’s single to right center scored Jordan to make it a 4-2 ballgame. A fielder’s choice then allowed R. Jordan to reach first. An RBI double by junior Jordan Westburg made it 5-2.

The Bulldogs then added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning when junior Justin Foscue doubled and came around to score on an RBI single from freshman Logan Tanner.

Texas Tech’s Cole Stilwell plated sophomore Dru Baker with an RBI single to make it 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, but the Bulldogs held on for the win.

The Bulldogs outhit the Red Raiders 9-3 in the contest. Hatcher and Westburg both put up two-hit, one-RBI performances.

Junior southpaw Houston Harding (1-0) pitched a solid 5 ²⁄₃ innings where he allowed two runs (no earned) on two hits, He fanned four batters.

Freshman Landon Sims allowed one run on one hit in 2 ¹⁄₃ innings, while gradate student Spencer Price earned his first save after striking out two in a clean ninth.

Sophomore left-hander Mason Montgomery (3-1) was charged with the Red Raider loss after allowing three runs on four hits in in four innings pitched.

The teams will be back on the diamond Wednesday for a 5 p.m. CT first pitch.