A Pair of Good Performances Lead Mississippi State to a 7-4 Win Over Vanderbilt

The Bulldogs even the series in a tight game.

Brooks Auger / Mississippi State Athletics

The Mississippi State Bulldogs even the series with a 7-4 win over Vanderbilt. They were dreadful on offense in game one, but they got off to a quick start in game two, thanks to their junior first baseman. 

Hunter Hines has had a good career for MSU but has slightly underperformed this year relative to his high expectations. However, the lefty came up big for the Bulldogs today as he drove a solo home run to right field to get his team their first run of the series. 

Hines again came up clutch in the top of the fourth as he drove in Dakota Jordan with an opposite-field double. Brooks Auger drew the start for MSU after his first career start last week, but the Louisiana native had a better outing this week. 

He was in a jam in the bottom of the fourth as Vanderbilt had runners on first and second, but the former Hinds Community College Eagle responded and got a flyout to Chance to escape the inning. 

Hines continued his dominant day in the top of the 6th as he drove his eleventh home run of the year to right field to give the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead. Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis opted to switch up the rotation this weekend, moving Jurrangelo Cijntje to Sunday and Auger up to Saturday. 

This was seen as a strategic move to have the pitching advantage in the series finale, but it seemed like MSU had the upper hand today on the bump. Auger threw five innings, allowed one run with six strikeouts. 

However, the Commodores would not go quietly as Cam Schuelke took over for Auger after a leadoff walk in the sixth, and Alan Espinal hit a three-run bomb to left field to make it a 5-3 game. After struggling mightily a season ago, Tyson Hardin has become a reliable arm in the bullpen for the Bulldogs, and he took over for Schuelke in the home half of the seventh. 

Hardin got into trouble after giving up back-to-back hits to lead off the inning, but the Florida native got a big 4-6-3 double play to escape the jam. However, he could not escape a second jam after RJ Austin got a leadoff single, stole second base, and moved to third on a wild pitch with no outs. 

He scored on an infield single, and Hardin hit a batter. Tyler Davis took over for Hardin with runners on first and second with one out. 

The former VCU transfer avoided further trouble after getting a flyout and a strikeout to end the inning. The Bulldogs would get some insurance runs in the top of the ninth thanks to an RBI double by freshman second baseman Ethan Pulliam, and catcher Joe Powell drove him home with a single to left field. 

Mississippi State desperately needed to bounce back after a shutout loss last night, and they did. They will go for the series win tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.