Mississippi State Baseball Takes Game Two from Alabama to Clinch the Series

The Bulldogs clinch the series over the Crimson Tide.

Johnny Long / Mississippi State Athletics

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs clinch the series over the Crimson Tide with a 8-1 win. Alabama struck first in the game as first baseman Max Grant hit a solo home run in the third to give the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead. 

However, they would not hold the lead for long as Bryce Chance ripped an RBI single into center field, and David Mershon blasted a two-run home run to give State a 3-1 lead. Amani Larry extended the Bulldog lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly. 

Jurrangelo Cijntje drew the start for MSU and gave a gutsy performance. The sophomore is typically electrifying but did not have his best stuff, but he still was dominant and got better as the game went on. 

He finished the game throwing seven innings, had eight strikeouts, and only allowed a run. Logan Kohler gave the Bulldogs an insurance run in the sixth with an RBI single. 

Tyler Davis took over for Cijntje in the eighth inning, and the lefty continued to pitch well. The VCU transfer pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game. 

Kohler hit his second home run of the year in the eight, and Chance got another RBI as hit an RBI double into the right field gap.

The Bulldogs continue to play good baseball and have now won ten of their last 11 games with a chance to get a huge sweep. They needed to win the series to stay on the path to hosting a regional, but a sweep opens the door for a possible top-eight national seed. 

Game three is tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.