Bulldog Box Score and More: Forsythe's bat fuels MSU win over Arkansas State
When Lane Forsythe became Mississippi State's starting shortstop a couple of weeks into the season, it was primarily for his glove. As for Forsythe's bat? Well it has proven to be able to hold its own just fine and on Tuesday night, it did more than that as Forsythe fueled a comeback win for the Bulldogs.
Forsythe had three hits, including a game-tying home run and go-ahead two-run double an inning later, as No. 4 MSU went on to roll past Arkansas State 18-10. The victory was Mississippi State's eighth straight.
Of the 28 combined runs scored on Tuesday, 19 of them were scored over the last inning of play. Before all that though, this was a nip-and-tuck affair and it was Forsythe somewhat saving the day for Mississippi State.
"His offense has really taken off right now and it’s fun to see," MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said.
Mississippi State (25-7, 8-4) was in need of someone to step up offensively in the middle innings. Despite the Bulldogs getting a leadoff home run from Rowdey Jordan in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, MSU starting pitcher Carlisle Koestler ran into trouble, couldn't make it out of the third and the Bulldogs fell behind 3-1.
Logan Tanner got a run back for Mississippi State with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, then in the fifth, Forsythe evened things up with his first career homer – an opposite-field shot over the right field wall. It was the latest indication this strong defender also can hit a little bit, too.
"Right now at the plate, I'm just trying to stay loose and try to stay locked in on every pitch I get and just be as loose as I can be and not really think too much when I step in the box," Forsythe said.
Forsythe's approach paid off again an inning later. With the game knotted at 3-3, he put a hurting once again on Arkansas State (9-17). Forsythe's double to right field plated two Bulldog runs, they took a 5-3 advantage and Mississippi State led the rest of the night.
No, it wasn't without adventure. After MSU added an insurance run in the seventh, the Bulldogs exploded for 12 runs in the eighth. The huge rally was bookended by a pair of Mississippi State home runs. The first was a solo shot from Brad Cumbest. The second was a three-run dinger off the highly-touted freshman bat of Kellum Clark. Like Forsythe's earlier, it was Clark's first career long ball as well.
Then, up 18-3 entering the ninth, it seemed as thought the Bulldogs could coast to the win. That was far from the case. Arkansas State rolled off a rally of its own, scoring seven times as the Red Wolves tried to come back against three MSU pitchers. However the Arkansas State deficit was far too great and Bulldog reliever Chase Patrick eventually slammed the door on the Red Wolves. It was an adventurous finish to say the least.
"It’s frustrating," Lemonis said of MSU's pitching struggles in the ninth. "I know the kids are frustrated too. We’ve got to come in and make pitches – finish out a ballgame, play a clean ballgame. Feel good about getting off the field. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I thought the bottom of the eighth was really good (when we were at the plate). We’ve just got to make more pitches."
Thanks to bats like Forsythe's though, there was plenty of margin for MSU error on this particular evening. And who knows? This might not be the last time the supposedly glove-first ballplayer proves he's more than capable of being an offensive force for the Bulldogs going forward as he's now sporting an impressive .333 batting average.
"He’s surprised us (at the plate) and he’s getting better every game," Lemonis said of Forsythe. "That’s what the good ones do. He usually doesn’t make the same mistake twice. He had an awful game on Friday (at Auburn) and came right back and played well the next day. He’s actually played well the last couple of days. It’s the sign of a good player. He’s mentally tough. He likes to play the game."
(NOTE: YOU CAN VIEW FORSYTHE'S FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE. YOU CAN VIEW LEMONIS' FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE BY CLICKING HERE.)
Shortstop Lane Forsythe had a huge game for Mississippi State in an 18-10 win over Arkansas State on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)
Arkansas State at Mississippi State box score
MSU Offensive MVP: SS Lane Forsythe
On a night with 18 total MSU runs and 15 total Bulldog hits, plenty of guys came away likely feeling really good offensively. But there's no denying Forsythe gets the nod here as he came through when it mattered the most, back when the Bulldogs were fighting to come back and take a lead.
As a whole for the night, Forsythe was 3-for-4 with a homer, a double, a single and a walk with three RBIs and three runs scored.
MSU Pitching MVP: RP Cade Smith
With just his second appearance this season, Smith continues to work his way back to where the Bulldogs ultimately want him to be. He hurled two scoreless innings on Tuesday to keep the game under control long enough for Forsythe to provide his heroics at the plate. Smith ultimately earned the win and finished with five strikeouts over his two frames of work.
"I thought he was good," Lemonis said of Smith. "We tried to stretch him out a little bit, give him two innings. I thought his stuff was really good. He left a couple of balls over the middle of the plate, but he was able to wiggle out of a jam. You want to see how he feels tomorrow and the next day – how he’s bouncing back. Everything has been good since he’s been back."
Here' more from Smith with his full postgame press conference:
Moment of the Game: Forsythe's big swings
Not to harp on it too much, but Forsythe's game-tying homer in the fifth and go-ahead long ball in the sixth flipped the script on this game. Now perhaps MSU rattles off the 12-run, eighth inning rally anyway and could have ultimately won regardless. However we'll never know for sure because Forsythe had already done his damage to give his team the advantage.
Notes
– Star right fielder Tanner Allen didn't play for the Bulldogs on Tuesday night, but after the game, Lemonis insisted it was just a day off for Allen to allow him to recover from some unspecified soreness.
"Just a little sore and we were giving him a day off," Lemonis said of Allen's absence. "I've done it with some of the other guys. So he should be right back out there at practice on Thursday."
– Lemonis of course had to make a couple of trips to the mound in the ninth inning on Tuesday to make pitching changes in order to guide the Bulldogs to the end of the game. Lemonis discussed afterwards what he says to pitchers whenever he goes to retrieve the ball from them in such spots.
"I don’t talk a lot on the mound unless they’re coming in," Lemonis said. "I pat them on the back and let them go. I’ll talk to them (the next day). (Pitching coach Scott Foxhall) will talk to them after the game. (It's) too intense (in the moment) and too disappointed. They’re not listening to me anyway. So, I usually just take the ball and let them go in, decompress a little bit, try to be better. I’m really more focused on the guy coming in – good warm-ups, know the situation, any bunt defense, first and third calls. Not a lot of conversation out there."
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