Cowbell Corner

No Surprises, No Sloppiness: Mississippi State Cruises Past Alcorn State

Mississippi State didn’t learn anything new Wednesday night, but it avoided every midweek trap in a clean 19-0 run-rule win over Alcorn State.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Infielder/Outfielder Blake Bevis (#33) during the game between the Alcorn State Braves and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State Infielder/Outfielder Blake Bevis (#33) during the game between the Alcorn State Braves and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

At some point No. 4 Mississippi State will play a game that tells us something new.

Wednesday night wasn’t that game, but it did show a team handling a mismatch the way a good team should.

The Bulldogs didn’t get cute, didn’t get sloppy, and didn’t drift into bad habits. They just handled business, stacked innings, and walked off with a 19-0 run‑rule over Alcorn State that looked about as routine as a 19‑run night can look.

Games like this can get weird if you let them. You start chasing pitches you shouldn’t chase, trying to hit balls 500 feet, or drifting out of your approach because the fastball you’re seeing isn’t close to SEC velocity. Bulldogs’ coach Brian O’Connor knew it, too.

“We talked to the guys about staying fundamental and having the right approach,” O’Connor said. “Their starter's fast ball was well below what we will see.”

The players listened.

Mississippi State scored in five of the first six innings, drew 13 walks, struck out once, and never looked rushed or jumpy.

Blake Bevis set the tone early with a three‑run homer in the first and a two‑run single in the second. Drew Wyers, making his Bulldog debut, went 4‑for‑4 and looked like someone who’s been in the lineup for years. Freshman Peter Mershon drove in four runs in his first college game.

And then there was the pitching, which might’ve been the part O’Connor enjoyed most. Six arms combined for a one‑hit shutout and 14 strikeouts, and the head coach didn’t hide how much that meant to him. Tyler Pitzer got the start and looked exactly like the version they saw in the fall — two hitless innings, six strikeouts, and the kind of presence that suggests he’ll have a real role as the season settles in.

“It's what I wanted to see, Pitzer to go out there and start. That was the Tyler Pitzer we saw in the fall. I think he will do some valuable pitching for us. It was good to see him get off to a great start,” O’Connor said. “And it was really great to see those three freshmen – Miller, Beliveau and Parker Rhodes.  All three of those guys are extremely talented and have great arms.  Not only are they going to help us this year, they'll help us in this uniform for many years to come.”

Games like this also let you manage the roster the way you want. Once the score stretched out, O’Connor pulled Ace Reese, got Andrew Raymond and others their first chances, and let the night serve as both a tune‑up and an evaluation. Nothing about it felt wasted.

So no, Mississippi State didn’t learn anything earth‑shattering Wednesday. But they avoided the traps that come with these midweek mismatches. They stayed within themselves, let the game come to them, and got exactly what they needed out of it.

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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.

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