No. 4 Mississippi State baseball opens 2022 season with 3-0 loss to No. 24 Long Beach State

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 4 Mississippi State baseball team was limited to just one hit en route to a 3-0 loss to No. 24 Long Beach State to begin the 2022 season.

The Bulldogs’ (0-1) lone hit came from freshman Hunter Hines in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Dirtbags (1-0) were led by freshman Eddie Saldivar with three hits, while junior Chase Luttrell, sophomore Jonathon Long and freshman Kaden Moeller each recorded one hit and one RBI.

Junior right-hander Landon Sims (0-1) got the start on the mound for the Bulldogs and allowed one run on five hits with 13 strikeouts.

Junior righty Parker Stinnett pitched the eighth inning and allowed two earned runs on two hits with one strikeout and one walk. Junior right-hander Stone Simmons pitched the final inning, striking out all three batters he faced.

Sophomore right-hander Luis Ramirez (1-0) earned the win for Long Beach State after tossing six hitless innings, striking out five batters and walking two. Sophomore righty Devereaux Harrison earned the save after pitching a clean ninth inning.

After six scoreless innings, the Dirtbags took a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning when Moeller hit a home run to right-center field.

Long Beach State added two more runs to its lead in the top of the eighth inning. Sophomore Connor Burns led off by drawing a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A strikeout followed before Luttrell hit an RBI double to left-center field. Long’s RBI single plated the Dirtbags’ third and final run of the game.

The teams will be back on the diamond Saturday at 2 p.m. CT for Game 2 of the three-game series. It can be watched on SEC Network+.