No. 5 Mississippi State Baseball Sweeps Alabama With 13-3 Win

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 5 Mississippi State baseball team completed the Southeastern Conference sweep with a 13-3 win over Alabama Sunday evening at Dudy Noble Field.

With the win the Diamond Dawgs improve to 31-6 (10-5 SEC), while Alabama falls to 23-14 (4-11 SEC).

The Dawgs scored 13 runs on 17 hits and scored three runs in the first inning, three in the second, one in the fourth, two in the fifth and four in the seventh. The Crimson Tide scored a run in the fifth before two more runners came across to score in the seventh.

Senior Jake Mangum got the game started with a leadoff single. Sophomore Jordan Westburg then drew a walk before a ground out moved both runners up to put runners on second and third. Sophomore Justin Foscue then doubled down the right field line to plate two runs. Sophomore Rowdey Jordan’s single moved Foscue to third before Junior Dustin Skelton brought him home with a single up the middle.

Senior Marshall Gilbert singled up the middle to begin the bottom of the second inning, but was later out on a fielder’s choice, which allowed Mangum to reach first. Mangum then stole second before sophomore Tanner Allen’s double down the right field line scored him to give MSU a 4-0 lead. Senior Elijah MacNamee hit a double of his own to score Allen before a single through the right side from Jordan scored MacNamee. MSU added a run in the fourth inning after Allen doubled and came around to score on an RBI single from Jordan.

Alabama scored its first run in the fifth inning when junior Johnny Hawk hit a solo home run to right center to make it a 7-1 ballgame. The Diamond Dawgs responded with two runs of their own in the fifth inning. Gilbert hit a one-out home run to right field. Mangum then came around to score on a sacrifice fly after singling to left field.

The Crimson Tide plated two runs in the seventh inning off of an RBI double from senior Keith Holcombe and an RBI single from junior Morgan McCullough. MSU then responded with four runs in its half of the seventh to take a 13-3 lead. Gilbert drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout, Westburg doubled to right center to score him. Allen followed up with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch scored Westburg. After that, MacNamee drew a walk. Foscue then came through with an RBI single to score Allen. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base before a ground out scored MacNamee.

As a team, the Dawgs recorded 17 hits compared to Alabama’s 11. Allen led the squad with four hits, including three doubles. Foscue and Jordan chipped in with three hits and three RBIs apiece, while Mangum and Gilbert also finished with multi-hit efforts as they both finished with two.

Freshman JT Ginn got the start on the mound and tossed four scoreless innings where he allowed four hits and fanned four batters in the no-decision effort.

Graduate student Cole Gordon (4-0) earned the win after throwing 2 ²⁄₃ innings in relief. He allowed three runs on five hits and finished with a strikeout and two walked batters. Junior right-hander Riley Self then tossed a scoreless 1 ¹⁄₃ where he allowed one hit and struck out two batters. Junior Colby White then pitched a scoreless ninth inning to end the game.

For Alabama, junior right-hander Casey Cobb (0-1) was charged with the loss after tossing 1 ²⁄₃ innings. He allowed six runs on nine hits and walked a batter.

The Diamond Dawgs will be back in action Tuesday when they host Texas Southern at Dudy Noble Field. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised by SEC Network.