No. 8 Mississippi State Baseball Dominant in Midweek Win Over Louisiana–Monroe

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 8 Mississippi State baseball team scored 21 runs on 19 hits in a 21-8 midweek win over Louisiana-Monroe Wednesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

With the win, the Diamond Dawgs improve to 25-5. while Louisiana-Monroe falls to 11-18.

Senior Jake Mangum led the way with a team-high five hits on six plate appearances. He recorded three RBIs and came across to score three times. Freshman Brad Cumbest compiled three hits and two RBIs, and came around to score twice. Sophomore Rowdey Jordan, senior Elijah MacNamee, sophomore Justin Foscue and junior Dustin Skelton all turned in two-hit performances.

MSU scored seven runs in the first inning, 10 in the fourth and four in the sixth. The Warhawks scored two runs in the third inning, two in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the eighth.

The Dawgs’ seven-run first inning began with a single from Mangum. He then stole second. Jordan then singled. A fielding error scored Mangum on the play. Sophomore Jordan Westburg drew a walk to put two runners on. MacNamee then hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. After that, Foscue was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases. Skelton then followed up with a grand slam down the left field line to make it 6-0. Sophomore Tanner Allen followed the grand slam up with home run to right field to cap off the seven-run inning.

The Warhawks then scored two runs in the top of the third inning after senior Joey Jordan singled and junior Trent Tingelstad followed up with a two-run home run to right field. ULM scored two more runs in the fourth inning to make it 7-4. A pair of walks put two runners on base. A ground out then moved the runners up a base before an MSU error allowed one run to score. Jordan hit another RBI single to score the other run.

State answered with 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth on eight hits. Cumbest began the inning with a single up the middle. a sacrifice bunt moved him to second before Mangum’s single put runners on the corners. A trio of RBI singles from Jordan, Westburg and MacNamee made it a 10-4 ballgame. Foscue then reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. A trio of two-RBI singles from Skelton, Cumbest and Mangum made it 16-4. A sacrifice fly scored the 10th run of the inning to give MSU a 17-4 lead.

After a ground out began ULM’s fifth inning, Junior Andrew Beesley singled to center field. A ground out moved him to second. Junior Ryan Humeniuk then hit a ground-rule double to plate Beesley. An RBI single from junior Masen Prososki scored Humeniuk to make it a 17-6 game.

Junior Gunner Halter got things going for the Dawgs in the sixth inning by drawing a walk. Mangum then scored him with an RBI triple to right center. Mangum scored on a ground out. MacNamee was then hit by a pitch, Foscue singled and senior Marshall Gilbert drew a walk to load the bases. Sophomore Josh Hatcher’s single scored MacNamee before a bases-loaded walk scored the final run of the inning to give the Diamond Dawgs a 21-6 lead.

The Warhawks managed two more runs in the eighth inning on an RBI single and an RBI double, but that was all, as MSU went on to win 21-8.

Redshirt-junior Keegan James got the start on the mound and tossed 3 ¹⁄₃ innings. He allowed four runs—two earned—on three hits. He struck out four batters and walked three. Freshman Brandon Smith (1-0) got the final two outs of the fourth and earned the win. MSU used seven total relief pitchers in the game.

Junior Cole Martin (0-3) was charged with the loss after surrendering six runs, all earned, on four hits. He was unable to record an out before being pulled in the first inning.

The Diamond Dawgs will now travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to face the Tennessee Volunteers in a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch on Friday is set for 5:30 p.m. CT and will be televised by SEC Network.