Mississippi State Gets Hot at the Plate in Win over Arkansas Pine Bluff

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – On a bitterly cold night at Dudy Noble Field, the Mississippi State bats were hot enough to post an 11-8 baseball victory against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Bulldogs (12-6) closed their homestand with a fifth-straight win by pounding out 12 hits and scoring in five different innings.

“We played well offensively tonight in some tough conditions,” head coach Andy Cannizaro said. “We got a good start from Jake (Mangum) on the mound. You are talking about the best player on the team.

He is out there hitting 92 with his breaking ball. We did a lot of good things on offense. It was great to get off to a good start.”

Brent Rooker had three hits to lead the Bulldogs. It was the 10th multi-hit game for Rooker, who is 9 of 17 with nine RBIs during the winning streak. Brant Blaylock, Dustin Skelton and Tanner Poole each had two hits apiece. Ryan Gridley had his first four-RBI game this season.

While the offensive numbers were good, the story of the game may have been Mangum. Last season’s SEC Freshman of the Year drew his first start on the mound. Mangum retired all nine batters he faced with five strikeouts over three innings of work to get the win.

Andrew Mahoney threw the next two innings, while Ryan Cyr followed with three innings. Trysten Barlow started the ninth inning but Parker Ford and Spencer Price were both needed to throw after the Golden Lions scored four times in their final at-bat.

Price retired the only batter he faced for his fourth save of the season.

Mangum also got things going offensively with a leadoff double in the first inning. Luke Alexander reached when a sacrifice bunt attempt was erred. Gridley followed with his third home run – a three-run shot to left field.

Cody Brown followed with a base hit and later scored on a single by Skelton.

The lead grew to 7-0 in the second inning when Rooker hit an RBI-double and Blaylock followed that up with a two-run single to left field. Poole’s third home run – a solo shot – highlighted a two-run third inning.

The Golden Lions climbed back into the contest with four runs in the fourth inning. Half of those were unearned due to an MSU error.

The Bulldogs got some of those runs back with singles scores in the fourth and sixth innings.

UAPB (3-12) received three hits from Jordan Knox but was hurt by six errors.

The Diamond Dawgs will now hit the road to open Southeastern Conference play at Arkansas with a three-game series that begins Friday at 6 p.m. CT.