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STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 4 Mississippi State baseball team secured its third straight shutout with a 4-0 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette Wednesday night at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs (10-3, 0-0 SEC) scored two runs in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly. They then scored two more runs in the sixth on another wild pitch and another sacrifice fly to secure the 4-0 win.
Senior Josh Hatcher recorded two of MSU’s four hits, while senior Rowdey Jordan and senior Tanner Allen recorded the other two. Sophomore Kamren James and junior Luke Hancock each recorded one RBI.
Senior southpaw Houston Harding (2-1) earned the Bulldog win after allowing just three hits in five innings of work. He struck out eight batters and walked one.
Junior right-hander Preston Johnson then worked the sixth and seventh innings and struck out four batters and allowed one hit. Sophomore righty Landon Sims fanned five in the final two innings.
Junior lefty Austin Perrin (0-1) was charged with the loss for the Ragin’ Cajuns (9-5, 0-0 Sun Belt) after allowing two unearned runs in two innings with two hits and one strikeout.
In the bottom of the first inning, graduate student Scotty Dubrule reached first on an error by the second baseman. Jordan followed with a single before Allen’s groundout put runners on second and third. A wild pitch by Perrin scored Dubrule and James’ sacrifice fly to center scored Jordan to give MSU a 2-0 lead.
Jordan drew a walk to lead off the sixth inning. Allen then singled to put runners on the corners. Allen stole second and a wild pitch scored Jordan and moved Allen to third. Hancock’s long fly ball to center field then allowed Allen to tag up and score to make it 4-0.
The Bulldogs return to the diamond on Friday for the first game of a three-game series against Eastern Michigan at Dudy Noble Field, Friday’s first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT. Saturday’s game is slated for 2 p.m. and Sunday’s for 1 p.m. All three games will air on SEC Network+.