The Pitching Staff is in a Great Spot for Mississippi State

Postseason baseball is a war of attrition, especially on the mound. From this point on, every game for Mississippi State is enormous, which leads to high-leverage innings.

Deciding who to start in the opening game of a regional is a tough decision, but MSU head coach Chris Lemonis made the right call. It is a critical decision because while the first game is essential, game two will likely be against stiffer competition.

However, Lemonis did not take a risk and sent his ace, Khal Stephen, to the mound. The Williamsport, Ind. native has been a workhorse for State and leads the SEC in innings pitched.

While Stephen is dominant, his pitching is not typical for an SEC ace. He throws a fastball that sits around 91-94 MPH and has a slider to counter it.

However, it is not the stuff that sets the first-team All-SEC pitcher apart. It is the fearlessness. No matter the situation, the Purdue transfer never seems rattled on the mound, and tonight, he weathered a storm.

Stephen was dominant throughout the first three innings and seemed to be on cruise control as State held a 2-0 lead, thanks to a Logan Kohler home run. However, St John's fought back with a single and a double to put two runners in scoring position in the fourth.

Red Storm first baseman Marty Higgins dropped a single just past the glove of MSU shortstop David Mershon to tie the game. Stephen never wavered despite giving up a lead and getting no run support.

He bore down, did not allow another run, and exited after the eighth inning. The postseason pressure can make players crumble, but the junior right-hander shined as he struck out ten batters across eight innings of work.

Tyler Davis took over on the mound in the ninth inning for State, which he is used to. The Newport News, Va. native has been the closer for State and has excelled in the role, but he was tasked with keeping the game tied.

The VCU transfer did just that as he tossed two scoreless innings, including stranding a runner in scoring position in the tenth. The offense finally came around for MSU in the bottom of the tenth, and it came from an unlikely hero as the slumping Dakota Jordan smoked a three-run home run to right field to walk it off.

While Jordan is the hero for State, Stephen and Davis' work on the mound will give the Bulldogs a fresh bullpen tomorrow as they take on Virginia at 5 p.m. CT.

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