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Cowbell Corner

Pitching, Defense, Timely Hitting: Mississippi State Checks Every Box in Win

Mississippi State got contributions across the board in a 4-2 win over Vanderbilt, showcasing the kind of complete game needed in SEC play.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Outfielder Bryce Chance (#38) during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State Outfielder Bryce Chance (#38) during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

If you’re looking for a snapshot of what a good team win actually looks like, Mississippi State just handed you one in front of nearly fifteen thousand people at Dudy Noble Field.

Nothing about Friday night’s 4-2 win over Vanderbilt felt fluky or carried by one hot hand. It was the kind of game where everybody did something, and by the end of it, you could point to just about any part of the roster and say, “Yeah, that mattered.”

Let’s start with the obvious: the third inning.

Mississippi State had already gotten the crowd buzzing thanks to Kevin Milewski’s solo shot in the second, but the real punch came after Vanderbilt briefly tied things up.

Noah Sullivan and Gehrig Frei worked back-to-back walks, and Ryder Woodson didn’t waste the moment. His three-run homer to center wasn’t just the swing of the night. It was the swing that let Mississippi State settle in and play the kind of baseball it’s built for.

And from there, the Bulldogs didn’t need to do anything flashy. They just needed to be solid everywhere, which is exactly what they were.

Ryan McPherson set the tone with four innings of two-hit ball. Jack Gleason handled the fifth and earned the win. Maddox Webb bridged the middle. And then Ben Davis came in and basically said, “I’ve got it from here,” closing out the final 2 2/3 innings without letting the tying run even sniff the batter’s box.

That’s not dominance in the highlight-reel sense, but it’s the kind of steady, reliable pitching that wins SEC games in March and still matters in May.

The defense backed them up, too. No drama, no giveaways, no extra chances for a team that doesn’t need help.

Vanderbilt had a couple of late pushes, including an RBI double in the eighth, but Mississippi State never cracked. The Bulldogs stranded runners, made the routine plays, and kept the game moving at their pace.

And the lineup did its part. Sullivan had two hits. Woodson drove in three. Milewski added his homer. Bryce Chance chipped in a double. Eight hits total. Not an explosion, but enough, especially when paired with pitching and defense that refused to budge.

That’s the thing about this one: it wasn’t about one star performance. It wasn’t about riding a single arm or hoping for one more big swing. It was about stacking contributions until the scoreboard reflected the effort.

For a team trying to settle into SEC play, that’s exactly the kind of win you want to see.

Mississippi State will try to take the series tonight with Tomas Valincius on the mound.

If they bring the same all-around approach they showed Friday, they’ll give themselves every chance to walk out with another one.

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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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