No. 6 Bulldogs trounce Southern 15-1

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 6 Mississippi State baseball team scored 10 runs between the fifth and sixth innings en route to a 15-1 win over the Southern Jaguars on Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs (21-7, 5-4 SEC) scored one run in the first inning, one in the second, one in the fourth, four in the fifth, six in the sixth and two in the seventh. The Jaguars (10-15, 8-4 SWAC) scored one run in the sixth inning.

Senior Rowdey Jordan led the offensive outburst with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Senior Tanner Leggett was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while junior Brandon Pimentel was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs and junior Brad Cumbest was 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.

MSU senior pitcher Carlisle Koestler (3-0) got the start and earned the win after one inning of work. The Bulldogs used nine pitchers in the game to total 17 strikeouts. Graduate student Spencer Price was the only pitcher to allow a run, which came in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from freshman Brandon Green.

Jaguar redshirt junior pitcher Dillen Miller (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts and one walk in one inning pitched.

In the bottom of the first inning, Jordan dropped a perfect bunt between third base and the pitcher’s mound for a single. A failed pickoff attempt then allowed him to advance to second. Sophomore Kamren James was then hit by a pitch before both runners moved up on stolen bases. Junior Luke Hancock walked to load the bases and a wild pitch allowed Jordan to score to make it 1-0.

Leggett singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning. He made his way to third on a walk and fielder’s choice before scoring on a passed ball to make it 2-0.

After a flyout began the bottom of the fourth inning, Jordan lined a single to right field. Senior Tanner Allen followed with a double before James grounded out to score Jordan and increase the lead to 3-0.

The bottom of the fifth inning began with a strikeout and groundout before Leggett singled to third base. He then stole second. Freshman Kellum Clark then drew a walk and Leggett stole third to put runners on the corners. Freshman Lane Forsythe sent a ball to center field that was dropped as both runners scored and gave MSU a 5-0 lead. Jordan followed with a two-run home run to left field.

In the top of the sixth inning, Southern sophomore Jonathan Evans hit a one-out single to right field. He then stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Green scored him with a flyout to right field to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

In the bottom half of the sixth, freshman Davis Meche came in as a pinch hitter and reached when his pop fly was dropped for a two-base error in right field. He scored when junior Kace Garner doubled through the left side. Pimentel and graduate student Scotty Dubrule followed with pinch-hit RBI singles. After a flyout, Forsythe and senior Brayland Skinner scored two more runs with RBI singles. The sixth run of the frame came on a fielder’s choice to make it 13-1.

Back-to-back home runs by Cumbest and Pimentel in the bottom of the seventh inning ended the game’s scoring at 15-1.

The Bulldogs will now turn their attention to a three-game series at Auburn beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. It will be streaming on SEC Network+.