Mississippi State Baseball Survives Midweek Test, Beats Memphis 6-2

Vytas Valincius drove in four runs to lift Mississippi State to a 6-2 win over Memphis in a tighter-than-expected midweek matchup.

Mississippi State Outfielder Bryce Chance (#38) and Mississippi State Assistant Coach Matt Kirby during the game between the Memphis Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

Midweek games aren’t supposed to get your heart rate up, but sometimes baseball ignores the script.

Mississippi State handled Memphis 6-2 on Tuesday night, yet it never really felt like a game the Bulldogs controlled until Vytas Valincius stepped in and settled things himself.

This was supposed to be a routine night at Dudy Noble Field. Memphis came in with a losing record, Mississippi State had the deeper roster, and the expectation was simple: take care of business and move on to LSU this weekend.

Instead, the Tigers hung around, piled up 10 hits, and kept putting pressure on a bullpen that had to cover most of the game.

Mississippi State actually trailed early after Memphis pushed across a run in the first.

The Bulldogs didn’t answer until the fourth, and even that inning needed a little help. Reed Stallman got hit by a pitch, Blake Bevis singled, the ball kicked around in right, and suddenly there were runners on second and third. Jacob Parker tied it with a clean RBI single and Ryder Woodson’s groundout gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.

Memphis didn’t go away. Javon Hernandez homered in the fifth to even things up, and at that point it felt like one of those nights where every run would matter. That’s when Brian O’Connor turned to Vytas.

Bevis doubled to start the sixth, and Valincius came off the bench and shot a pinch-hit RBI single to right. Nothing flashy, just a veteran swing in a spot where Mississippi State needed someone to take control. That made it 3-2, but the game still felt tight.

“It was kind of a frustrating offensive night,” O’Connor said after the game. “Just felt like Vytas was the right matchup, and he got the base hit to right. The bottom of the eighth inning was great team baseball. This is what happens when guys stay hungry and get ready for their opportunity. That speaks to who those two men are. They want to help their team.”    

Two innings later, he removed all doubt. With two runners on in the eighth, Valincius turned on a pitch and sent a three-run homer to left. That was the swing State had been waiting for all night. A one-run game instantly became a four-run cushion, and the Bulldogs finally had room to breathe.

Bevis was steady throughout, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Valincius finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs despite not starting. Parker added another RBI, and the bullpen did enough to get the job done.

Maddox Miller earned the win with two scoreless innings, and Maddox Webb closed it out by stepping into a bases-loaded mess in the ninth and getting the final two outs.