Cowbell Corner

Bulldogs Deliver Dominant Finish to Sweep Lipscomb at Dudy Noble Field

Mississippi State erupted for 12 runs in the third inning and completed a dominant series sweep of Lipscomb at Dudy Noble Field.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State's dugout celebrates a second-inning run scored during Saturday's game against Lipscomb.
Mississippi State's dugout celebrates a second-inning run scored during Saturday's game against Lipscomb. | Mississippi State Athletics

Lipscomb had made Mississippi State work for the first two wins of the three-game series at Dudy Noble Field.

Thursday and Friday games lasted a full nine innings, but the Bulldogs still won each game by five. The Bisons couldn’t do it a third time.

Mississippi State nearly put the run-rule into play in less than an hour of Saturday morning’s game against Lipscomb, leading 7-0 to start the third inning. That was just the Bulldogs getting started though.

The Bulldogs’ put on a the type of dominant showing that makes you wonder if there should be an earlier run-rule to end the Bisons’ suffering. They scored 12 runs in the third inning alone and just kept scoring run after run after run.

Noah Sullivan had a pair of runs to drive in six runs, Gehrig Frei had a two-run home run and Kevin Milewski, back from injury, smashed a home run in his first at-bat. In all, Mississippi State had 20 total hits and 24 RBIs.

The Bulldogs hit the ball well, hard and often. Nothing Lipscomb did or sent to the mound could cool off the red-hot bats.

Pitching-wise it was a similar story. Duke Stone threw four perfect innings and had six strikeouts. Charlie Foster couldn’t keep the perfect game going, allowing a hit and a walk in the fifth inning. Dane Burns shut down the Bisons in the sixth inning and Parker Rhodes closed the game out with a strikeout and two flyouts in the seventh inning.

It won’t always look this easy, and Mississippi State knows that 26-0 wins are the exception. But after grinding through the first two games, a performance this clean gives the Bulldogs something to carry forward. The competition is about to get tougher, but they leave the weekend with momentum and a lineup that looks ready for whatever comes next.

Pitching Decisions

WP: Duke Stone (3-0), 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
LP: Jackson Lee (1-1), 2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Mississippi State Batting Leaders

  • Drew Wyers –  3-3, 2 RBI, 3 R
  • Ace Reese – 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 K
  • Noah Sullivan – 3-4, 6 RBI, 3 R, 2 HR
  • Vytas Valincius – 2-3, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
  • Chone James – 1-3, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB
  • Gehrig Frei – 1-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 K
  • Ryder Woodson – 1-2, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
  • Jacob Parker – 2-3, 3 RBI, 1 2B

Next Up

Mississippi State has just one game left before starting SEC action next weekend with a trip to No. X Arkansas. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs will head to Biloxi, Miss. to face Tulane at Keesler Federal Park. First-pitch is set for 6 p.m. on SECN+.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

Home/Baseball