LIVE BASEBALL UPDATES: Kent State at Mississippi State (Friday 3-5-21)
It's a series that no one could've foreseen happening three days ago, but with both teams' originally-scheduled opponents cancelling because of COVID-19 issues within their programs, No. 3 Mississippi State is set to open up an impromptu three-game set against Kent State. The Bulldogs and Golden Flashes begin battle at 6 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field. If you're looking for somewhere to keep up with Friday's series opener, well you've come to the right place.
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Alright, the lineups are in. Let's have a look:
Kent State Golden Flashes (3-2)
- Cam Touchette - RF
- Ben Carew - LF
- Justin Miknis - 2B
- Michael Turner - C
- Justin Kirby - DH
- Collin Mathews - CF
- Mack Timbrook - SS
- Kevin Dobos - 3B
- Nick Elsen - 1B
Luke Albright - P
No. 3 Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-2)
- Rowdey Jordan - CF
- Scotty Dubrule - 2B
- Tanner Allen - RF
- Logan Tanner - C
- Josh Hatcher - 1B
- Luke Hancock - DH
- Kamren James - SS
- Landon Jordan - 3B
- Drew McGowan - LF
Christian MacLeod - P
MSU lineup notes: Not too much notable here as it's the pretty standard MSU lineup when facing a right-handed pitcher. Maybe the only notable thing is that struggling leadoff man Rowdey Jordan remains at the top of the order, but that shouldn't be much of a surprise given his long track record of success at State. You're not gonna give up on him as your leadoff guy just because of a cold stretch. Odds are, he'll soon turn it around.
Alright, it's time to play ball!
TOP of 1 - Kent State batting
- Touchette singles to center. Runner at first, nobody out.
- Carew bunts to the pitcher. MacLeod throws it wild to first. Error. Touchette advances to third. Runners first and third, no outs.
- Miknis with a slow roller to first. It's an infield single. Touchette scores. Carew to second. Runners first and second, no outs. It's now 1-0 Kent State.
- Turner strikes out swinging. One out, runners first and second.
- Carew steals third. Runners first and third, one out.
- Kirby strikes out. Miknis thrown out at second trying to steal. Inning over.
- MID 1 - Kent State 1, MSU 0
BOTTOM of 1 - MSU batting
- Rowdey Jordan lines one to left field, Kent State left fielder dives and can't get it and the ball goes to the wall. Triple. Runner at third, nobody out.
- Scotty Dubrule grounds one to short. He's thrown out at first, but Rowdey Jordan scores. Tie game 1-1. One out, bases empty.
- Tanner Allen grounds one back to the pitcher. He's thrown out. Two outs, bases empty.
- Logan Tanner walks. Runner at first, two outs.
- Logan Tanner caught trying to steal second. Inning over.
- END of 1 - MSU 1, Kent State 1
TOP of 2 - Kent State batting
- Mathews strikes out looking. One out, bases empty.
- Timbrook with a solo home run over the right-field wall. Kent State leads 2-1. Still one out, bases empty.
- Dobos walks. Runner at first, one out.
- Elsen strikes out looking. Two outs, runner at first.
- Touchette with a slow chopper to shortstop and it's an infield single. Dobos advances to second. Runners at first and second with two outs.
- Carew walks. Dobos to third, Touchette to second. Bases loaded with two outs.
- Wild pitch. Dobos scores, Touchette to third, Carew to second. Play at the plate is being reviewed though....It holds and it's now 3-1 Kent State.
- Miknis walks. Bases loaded with two outs.
- MSU going to the bullpen. Brandon Smith coming on to pitch.
- Turner grounds out to pitcher. Inning over.
- MID 2 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
BOTTOM of 2 - MSU batting
- Hatcher lines out to right field. One out, bases empty.
- Hancock walks. Runner at first, one out.
- Kamren James walks. Hancock to second. Runners first and second, one out.
- Landon Jordan flies out to center. Hancock tags up and moves to third. Runners first and third, two outs.
- James steals second. Runners second and third, two outs.
- McGowan strikes out. Inning over.
- END of 2 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
TOP of 3 - Kent State batting
- Kirby grounds out to shortstop. One out, bases empty.
- Matthews struck out looking. Two out, bases empty.
- Timbrook lines out to centerfield. Inning over.
- MID 3 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
BOTTOM of 3 - MSU batting
- Rowdey Jordan strikes out looking. One out. Bases empty.
- Scotty Dubrule lines out to center. Two outs. Bases empty.
- Tanner Allen pops out to shortstop. Inning over.
- END of 3 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
TOP of 4 - Kent State batting
- Dobos lined out to right field. One out. Bases empty.
- Elsen strikes out swinging. Two outs. Bases empty.
- Touchette grounds out to third. Inning over.
- MID 4 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
BOTTOM of 4 - MSU batting
- Logan Tanner walks. Runner at first, no outs.
- Tanner moves to second on a balk. Runner at second, nobody out.
- Josh Hatcher hit by a pitch. Runners first and second, nobody out.
- Luke Hancock lines out to centerfield. One out, runners at first and second.
- Kamren James walks. Tanner to third. Hatcher to second. Bases loaded with one out.
- Kent State to the bullpen. Collin Romel in to pitch.
- Landon Jordan strikes out swinging. Two outs, Bases loaded.
- Brad Cumbest pinch hits for McGowan.
- Cumbest strikes out. Inning over.
- END of 4 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
TOP of 5 - Kent State batting
- Cumbest stays in the game to play left field for MSU.
- Carew strikes out swinging. One out, bases empty.
- Miknis grounds out to second. Two outs, bases empty.
- Turner grounds out to shortstop. Inning over.
- MID 5 - Kent State 3, MSU 1
BOTTOM of 5 - MSU batting
- Rowdey Jordan hard-hit ball that the third baseman can't handle cleanly. Base hit. Runner at first, nobody out.
- Scotty Dubrule walked. Rowdey Jordan to second. Runners at first and second. No outs.
- Tanner Allen chopper to second. Kent State second baseman can't field an in-between hop and ball goes into right field. Error. Rowdey Jordan scores. Scotty Dubrule to third. Runners at first and third, still no outs. MSU now down only one run. It's now 3-2 Kent State.
- Logan Tanner walks. Tanner Allen moves up to second. Dubrule still at third. Bases loaded and still no outs.
- Josh Hatcher hit by a pitch. Forces in a run as Dubrule scores. Allen moves up to third. Tanner moves up to second. Tie game 3-3. Bases still loaded with no outs.
- Luke Hancock single to right field. Allen scores. Tanner scores. Hatcher moves to third. MSU now leads 5-3. Runners at first and third and still no outs.
- Kamren James grounds to shortstop. It's a fielder's choice as Hancock is forced out at second (that is reviewed and upheld). James reaches first. Hatcher scores. MSU now up 6-3. One out, runner at first.
- Kamren James steals second. Runner at second with one out.
- Landon Jordan singles to right field. Kamren James scores. MSU now up 7-3. Runner at first and one out.
- Landon Jordan steals second. Runner at second. One out.
- Landon Jordan is picked off at second. Two outs. Bases empty.
- Brad Cumbest strikes out swinging.
- END of 5 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
TOP of 6 - Kent State batting
- Kirby strikes out looking. One out, bases empty.
- Mathews strikes out swinging. Two outs, bases empty.
- Timbrook fouls out to third. Good play by MSU's Landon Jordan near the dugout rail. Inning over.
- MID 6 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
BOTTOM of 6 - MSU batting
- Rowdey Jordan lines out to right field. One out, bases empty.
- Scotty Dubrule lines out to centerfield. Two outs, bases empty.
- Tanner Allen hit by a pitch. Runner at first, two outs.
- Tanner Allen steals second. He was actually about to be picked off it appeared as he left early and pitcher threw to first. But the throw to second was high and Allen slid under the tag. Being reviewed....and he's indeed safe. Runner at second with two outs.
- Logan Tanner walks. Runners first and second with two outs.
- Josh Hatcher flies out to deep center. Inning over.
- END of 6 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
TOP of 7 - Kent State batting
- MSU goes to the bullpen and Will Bednar is on to pitch for State.
- Dobos lines out to second base. One out, bases empty.
- Michael McNamara pinch hitting for Elsen and McNamara strikes out swinging. Two outs, bases empty.
- Touchette strikes out swinging. Inning over.
- MID 7 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
BOTTOM of 7 - MSU batting
- McNamara stays in to play first for Kent State.
- Hancock flies out to centerfield. One out, bases empty.
- Kamren James grounds to shortstop and it's an error. James reaches. Runner at first with one out.
- Kamren James steals second. Runner at second with one out.
- Landon Jordan strikes out looking. Runner at second with two outs.
- Tanner Leggett pinch hitting for Brad Cumbest and Legget grounds out to shortstop. Inning over.
- END of 7 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
TOP of 8 - Kent State batting
- MSU to the bullpen. Carlisle Koestler on to pitch. Brayland Skinner now playing left field for MSU.
- Carew flied out to right field. One out, bases empty.
- Miknis struck out swinging. Two outs, bases empty.
- Turner grounds out to shortstop. Inning over.
- MID 8 - MSU 7, Kent State 3
BOTTOM of 8 - MSU batting
- Rowdey Jordan grounds out to shortstop. One out, bases empty.
- Kent State to the bullpen. Brody Ware on to pitch.
- Scotty Dubrule flies out to centerfield. Two outs, bases empty.
- Tanner Allen walks. Runner at first, two outs.
- Tanner Allen steals second. Runner at second, two outs.
- Logan Tanner singles to center. Tanner Allen scores. It's now 8-3 MSU. Runner at first, two outs.
- Josh Hatcher flies out to left field. Inning over.
- END of 8 - MSU 8, Kent State 3
TOP of 9 - Kent State batting
- Kyle Jackson pinch hits for Kirby and Jackson walks. Runner at first with nobody out.
- Eric Wentz pinch hits for Mathews and Wentz strikes out swinging. One out, runner at first.
- Timbrook strikes out looking (actually was ruled as leaning into a pitch when he had two strikes so ump deemed it a strike). Two outs, runner at first.
- Aidan Longwell pinch hits for Dobos and Longwell strikes out swinging. Ballgame.
FINAL: Mississippi State 8, Kent State 3
CHECK BACK WITH COWBELL CORNER SOON FOR FULL POSTGAME COVERAGE INCLUDING PRESS CONFERENCES WITH MSU HEAD COACH CHRIS LEMONIS AND PLAYERS.
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