Mississippi State Baseball defeats Mount St. Mary 7-2

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs take game one of the doubleheader against Mount St. Mary. It was another good performance by the Bulldog starter and this time Purdue transfer Khal Stephen led the way for MSU.

Stephen threw seven innings and struck out nine while allowing no runs. Bulldog second baseman David Mershon stayed hot as he had three hits, and Dakota Jordan hit a mammoth home run in the seventh inning to break it open.

Mississippi State will complete the series with the Mountaineers at 3:40.

Top of the 9th

Dotson gets a strikeout for the first out.

Mershon makes a nice for the second out.

Dotson gets a groundout to Hines to end it.

MSU wins 7-2.

Bottom of the 8th

Kohler draws a leadoff walk.

Hujsak grounds into a fielder's choice. Runner on first with one out.

Powell strikes out swinging for the first out.

Hujsak is picked off at first base to end the inning.

MSU leads 7-2.

Top of the 8th

MSU will bring in Luke Dotson.

Dotson issues a leadoff walk.

Dotson gets a strikeout for the first out.

A throwing error by Dotson, and the runner advances to third.

Cupp catches it in short left field and the runner holds.

Dotson gets a strikeout looking to end the inning.

Bottom of the 7th

MSM will bring in TJ Curley to pitch.

Larry grounds out to the shortstop for the first out.

Mershon hit a single into left field for his third hit.

Mershon advances to second on a wild pitch.

Jordan hits a moonshot homerun to left field.

Hines strikes out for the second out.

MSM will make a change on the mound and bring in JB Manarchuck.

Chance strikes out looking to end the inning.

MSU leads 7-2.

Top of the 7th

MSU will bring in Gavin Black to pitch.

The second straight leadoff single for MSM.

MSM lays down a bunt to advance the runner to second with one out.

Black gets a lineout to Cupp for the second out.

Black issues a two-out walk. Runners on first and second with two outs.

A disaster play for MSU, as MSM singles to score a run. Another run scores on a throwing error. Runner on third with two outs.

Cupp has it in shallow right field to end the inning.

Bottom of the 6th

Kohler pops out to his fellow third baseman for the first out.

Hujsak lines a double down the third base line. Runner on second with one out.

Hujsak will advance to third on a throwing error.

Powell gets an infield single, and the run will score. Runner on first with one out.

Cupp pops out, and Powell is thrown out trying to get back to first.

MSU leads 5-0.

Top of the 6th

MSM gets another leadoff single.

Stephen gets his eighth strikeout for the first out.

The runner goes and MSM gets another single into left field. Runners on the corners with one out.

Stephen gets a big strikeout for the second out.

Kohler makes a great play at third to end the inning. A nice job by Stephen to escape the jam.

Bottom of the 5th

Larry drops a leadoff single into right field.

Larry will advance to second via a balk.

Mershon lines an RBI triple into left centerfield.

MSM will make a change on the mound, and bring in Luke Pryor.

Jordan strikes out swinging for the first out.

Hines pops out to the second baseman, two down.

Chance grounds out to the third baseman to end the inning.

MSU leads 4-0.

Top of the 5th

Chance moves a few feet to his left to grab the first out.

Kohler fields it cleanly for the second out.

Chance catches the ball while drifting towards centerfield to end the inning.

Bottom of the 4th

Hujsak flies out to shallow center field for the first out.

Powell pops out to the shortstop for the second out.

Cupp hits it hard, but the Mountaineer third baseman makes a diving grab.

MSU leads 3-0.

Top of the 4th

MSM gets a leadoff single.

Stephen gets a swinging strikeout for the first out.

Cupp makes a nice and makes a good throw to Hines for the second out.

Chance makes the grab in left field to end the inning.

Bottom of the 3rd

After a long battle, Jordan gets a leadoff single.

Hines flies out to deep center field, and Jordan advances to second. Runner on second with one out.

Chance grounds out to the shortstop. Runner on third with two outs.

Kohler strikes out to end the inning.

MSU leads 3-0.

Top of the 3rd

Stephen issues a leadoff walk.

Stephen gets his fifth strikeout for the first out.

Cupp has it in shallow left field for the second out.

The MSM runner steals second.

Stephen gets a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Bottom of the 2nd

Chance flies out to shallow right field.

Kohler works a one-out walk.

Hujsak drops a single into left field. Runners on first and second with one out.

Powell walks to load the bases.

Cupp drives a two-run double down the left-field line. Runners on second and third with one out.

Larry files out to right, but it is deep enough to score another run.

Mershon grounds out to the second baseman to end the inning.

MSU leads 3-0.

Top of the 2nd

Cupp fields it cleanly for the first out.

Stephen issues a one-out walk.

Stephen gets a big strikeout for the second out.

MSM gets a two-out single. Runners on first and second with two outs.

The Mountaineers get an infield single to load the bases.

Stephen gets a strikeout to end the inning.

Bottom of the 1st

Larry lines out to the shortstop for the first out after a long at bat.

Mershon stays hot at the plate as he laces a double into left center.

Jordan strikes out swinging, but Mershon swipes third. Runner on third with two outs.

Hines hits it hard, but right at the right fielder to end the inning.

Score is tied at zero.

Top of the 1st

The first pitch from Stephen is fouled back, and we are underway.

Stephen gets a strikeout to start the game.

MSM smokes a single into centerfield—runner on first with one out.

Stephen blows a fastball by the batter for the second out.

MSU picks off the runner at first base to end the inning.

Mississippi State Starters	Mount St. Mary Starters
DH Amani Larry	SS Tyler Long
2B David Mershon	RF Jayson Kramer
RF Dakota Jordan	LF Aiden Tierney
1B Hunter Hines	C Efrain Correajr
LF Bryce Chance	2B JT Landwehr
3B Logan Kohler	DH Scott Seeker
CF Connor Hujsak	3B David Stirpe
C Joe Powell	1B Shane Wockley
SS Dylan Cupp	CF Braden Ramirez

What: Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-4) versus Mount St. Mary Mountaineers (1-7)

When: Thursday (3 p.m. CT), Saturday (noon CT) (40 minutes after game one)

Where: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi.

Series: The Bulldogs hold a 2-0 advantage in this series. The first matchup was on February 25th, 2014.

Last Meeting: MSU took the previous matchup by a score of 10-1. Preston Brown got the win for the win for the Bulldogs, and Brett Pirtle had three hits and two RBIs.

Last time out, Mountaineers: Mount St. Mary lost their previous matchup 9-8 to Richmond.

Last time out, Bulldogs: Mississippi State blew out Jackson State 19-6 on Tuesday night. MSU got a much-need win; a 13-run fifth inning was the difference.

Mississippi State Rotation:

Nate Dohm

Khal Stephen

Jurrangelo Cijntje

Mount St. Mary Rotation:

Tommy Moore

Brendan Yagesh

Kyle Speas