Easy win for MSU was worth the wait
The rain was falling, the tarp was on the field and the evening’s festivities were in doubt when Mississippi State’s scheduled 6:30 p.m. game time rolled around on Saturday night.
The contest was delayed for an hour and half, but once things got going, the Bulldogs found the wait well worth it.
MSU pounded Tennessee 14-4 at Dudy Noble Field to claim the weekend series.
The Bulldogs (14-10, 2-3) will look to sweep the Volunteers (13-7, 0-5) in a 1:30 p.m. game today.
State used an offensive barrage to earn that opportunity. The hits came early and often for the Bulldogs as they pulled away from the Vols.
“I was really proud of our guys waiting out the rain delay,” State coach Andy Cannizaro said. “In the first inning, our bats were outstanding.”
MSU scored in each of the first four innings to take control. Cody Brown gave the Bulldogs their first run with a sacrifice fly. That was only the appetizer for the offense that was yet to come.
State scored four times in the second inning, pushed across five more in the third and added three in the fourth. The Bulldogs got their final run in the seventh.
Most of MSU’s damage was done by the top three hitters in the batting order. Leadoff man Jake Mangum and three-hole hitter Ryan Gridley each had four hits each. In the two spot, Brent Rooker had three hits. All told, the trio combined to go 11-for-15 with seven RBI, five runs and five extra-base hits.
The biggest blow delivered by the three came in the second inning. After a two-out, two-run double by Mangum gave MSU a 3-0 lead, Rooker stepped to the dish and blasted a 424-foot home run over the Left Field Lounge rigs and into the trees behind them.
Rooker came up just a double shy of a cycle in the game. Mangum ended the night with a career-high five RBI.
All the offense supported a stellar start on the mound by MSU right-hander Peyton Plumlee. Making his sixth start of the season, Plumlee notched his third quality start. He lasted six innings and surrendered only five hits, one walk and one unearned run. Plumlee struck out six.
A pair of relievers polished off the victory for Mississippi State. Trey Jolly pitched 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander gave up four hits and three runs in his relief stint.
Ryan Rigby came on to record the final two outs for the Bulldogs and locked down State’s most lopsided win of the year.