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STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 12 Mississippi State baseball team used a five-run fourth inning to best the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 8-4, Sunday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.
With Sunday’s sweep, the Bulldogs improve to 10-4. The Bobcats fall to 1-11.
In the bottom of the first inning, junior Jordan Westburg reached first after being hit by a pitch. Junior Josh Hatcher then singled to right field. An error moved both runners up a base to second and third before freshman Kamren James hit a two-RBI double down the left field line to give State a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Quinnipiac senior Kyle Horton was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Sophomore Kyle Maves and wound up scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 game.
The Bobcats then took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning when sophomore Michael Kohn brought two runners home with a two-RBI double down the right field line.
In the bottom half of the fourth, MSU scored five runs on six hits to regain the lead at 7-3. Freshman Logan Tanner led off with a home run down the left field line to tie the game at 3-3. After a strikeout, freshman Mason Land singled. Junior Tanner Leggett followed with a single before Land moved up to third on a throwing error. Junior Rowdey Jordan’s single scored Land before Westburg’s double to left center scored two more runs. A pair of wild pitched allowed Westburg to score.
A seventh inning RBI single from senior Evan Vulgamore added a run for the Bobcats before an eighth inning RBI single by Westburg made it an 8-4 game.
The Bulldogs outhit the Bobcats 11-6. Hatcher led the team with three hits , while Jordan and Westburg chipped in with two hits apiece. Westburg led the team with three RBIs.
Graduate student David Dunlavey (2-1) earned the Bulldog win after tossing three hitless innings where he struck out three batters.
Senior Colin Donnelly (0-2) was charged with the Bobcat loss after allowing six runs on six hits in 3 1⁄3 innings pitched. He fanned three batters and walked one.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Tuesday and Wednesday for a pair of games against No. 2 Texas Tech at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. MGM Park is the home of the Biloxi Shuckers, the Double A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Tuesday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and Wednesday’s game is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT. Both games can be watched on SEC Network+.