The Bulldog Box Score and More: Missouri Mashes Way to Series Win Over MSU
If anyone watching had a hard time explaining the last few days of action at Dudy Noble Field, you're not alone. After Missouri polished off a series win over No. 3 Mississippi State on Saturday with the Bulldogs falling to the Tigers 16-8, MSU head coach Chris Lemonis himself was also at a bit of a loss for words as his club dropped a set to the team with the Southeastern Conference's worst record.
"I’m having a hard time explaining it right now," Lemonis said postgame. "We just didn’t play well."
(YOU CAN WATCH LEMONIS' FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE BY CLICKING HERE)
This was a Mississippi State team competing for a postseason national seed up against a Tiger group that has struggled all year long. Yet for the last few days, it was MSU looking like the club that was searching for answers.
All of State's weekend issues came to a head on Saturday. The Bulldogs didn't pitch well as eight different arms were used and six of MSU's eight pitchers were charged with at least two runs apiece. State didn't field well, committing four errors.
Yes, the Bulldogs were strong offensively in the middle innings, but even in the one area MSU had success on Saturday, Missouri was simply better as the Tigers bashed 15 hits and built themselves an 8-0 lead by the third.
"We probably don’t make as good of pitches and we don’t defend as well as we should," Lemonis said. "But [Missouri] also played very well. They hit a lot of balls. It felt like they hit a lot of balls in holes, too. A lot of balls they hit found spots. They hit some hard-hit ones, too...They had a lot of hits this weekend.”
To State's credit, the Bulldogs did show some Saturday fight. They rallied from their 8-0 hole and at after five innings, got to within two runs of the Tigers at 10-8. But that's as close as State would get.
MSU's bullpen faltered over the game's latter innings and the Bulldogs could find no more magic with their bats. It all left MSU searching for answers as they watched a heavy underdog come into Dudy Noble Field and walk away leaving the Bulldogs to wonder how it all went down that way.
"I don't really know what happened," MSU centerfielder Rowdey Jordan said. "We didn't play well. It's that simple. We didn't come out and play our game. I think we thought we were just going to roll over them. That didn't happen. You look up and you lose two out of three and you're just disappointed."
(YOU CAN VIEW JORDAN'S FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.)
It all leaves MSU with some important games coming up. The Bulldogs' SEC championship hopes took a major hit with this weekend's events, but a postseason national seed is still likely attainable. After a weekend gone wrong though, it's safe to say there is very little – if any – margin for error to get to that point.
“We’ve got work to do, I would imagine," Lemonis said. "The RPI numbers probably went down a good bit losing two at home to [Missouri]. So we’ve got to win some games is what we’ve got to do.”
Missouri's Josh Day and Mississippi State's Lane Forsythe react after a play on Saturday. The Tigers went on to defeat the Bulldogs 16-8. (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)
Alright, let's take a look at Saturday's numbers, game MVPs and the Moment of the Game:
Missouri at Mississippi State box score
(***NOTE: In the above box score, MSU pitcher Houston Harding should be charged with five runs (three earned). MSU pitcher Cade Smith should be charged with three runs, all earned.)
MSU Offensive MVP: LF Kellum Clark
Clark was one of two Bulldogs to notch three-hit days on Saturday. Scotty Dubrule also had three hits. However Clark gets the ever-so-slight nod here as he also had an extra-base hit and drove in a run, finishing the game 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
MSU Pitching MVP: RP Stone Simmons
No Bulldog really had a pitching performance of note on Saturday, but Simmons probably had the best outing of the bunch. The right-hander entered in the seventh inning with two outs, ended the frame, then pitched a perfect eighth. He was eventually charged with two unearned runs in the ninth after he hit a batter and saw another hitter reach on an error. But overall – especially relatively speaking – it was a decent day for Simmons.
Moment of the Game: Mizzou has a grand time
Missouri already led 4-0 in the third inning when Brandt Belk stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter with the bases full. One big swing from Belk doubled the Tiger lead. Here's a look at Belk's grand slam that put MSU in an early 8-0 hole:
State did fight back and eventually got to within two runs. But Belk's early slam built a mountain that the Bulldogs simply never could overcome.
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