Bulldogs use relentless offense to capture season-opening win
It was a long offseason for Mississippi State after following up a national championship with a losing season, but the Bulldogs were determined to start the new season off right.
There were a couple of hairy moments in game one against VMI on a chilly Friday afternoon. However, State's offensive attack was relentless. The Diamond Dawgs put together a 16-hit barrage and had a big afternoon from several newcomers to the lineup on the way to an 11-2 win to start the year 1-0.
New Orleans transfer Amani Larry, Bryce Chance and Slate Alford stole the show for an MSU offense that came into the season quite heralded. Larry went 4-for-4 with four RBI, a double and a walk after transferring to the Bulldogs after being one of the top hitters in the Southland Conference.
“Our offense has been really good the last couple of weeks,” MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said. “When you're coaching in spring training and you're hitting really good, you're worried about your pitching and vice versa. We can do a lot of things offensively and I think they're pretty pure hitters and not trying to pull everything.”
After redshirting last season, Chance was a gameone starter this year for the Bulldogs and impressed. The MRA alum managed to go 3-for-5 in his debut with a double and the season's first home run as he drove in three runs.
“It meant everything,” Chance said of his debut. “I've had that day marked down in my calendar for a long time. Going to summer ball, getting there early and staying late, that one was really special.”
Sophomore third baseman Alford was 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Freshman Dakota Jordan played in the three hole in his first career game for MSU and Lemonis said he'll be there again in game two after going 1-for-3 with three walks. Luke Hancock finished 2-for4 with an RBI and Lane Forsythe reached base three times with a hit and two walks.
It wasn't always efficient for the pitching staff, but the Bulldogs flashed on the mound as well. Cade Smith got the start and the win as he worked through a 29-pitch first inning as he went four innings, gave up two hits, no runs, two walks and five strikeouts.
It was an all-newcomer bullpen for State. Graham Yntema, Nate Dohm, Tyson Hardin and Logan Forsythe threw the final five innings surrendering six hits and one earned run. Yntema gave up five of those hits and the only run. Dohm threw 1.2 scoreless with a walk while flashing a 98 mile per hour fastball.
Hardin and Forsythe were impressive behind Dohm as one hit was the only blemish and they combined for three strikeouts.
“I thought they were all great,” Lemonis said. “As that lead expanded, I just wanted guys to get their feet wet out there. Tyson late, Logan Forsythe late those guys can really help us. Those are some power arms.”
State had four doubles, a home run and 10 walks on the offensive side of the ball while striking out just twice and the team never really seemed to be in a hole at the plate. Even with the dominance at the plate, State did have a moment in the game where things got close.
Thanks to some misplays
on defense and some wellexecuted bunting, VMI got a couple of runs across in the fifth inning to close a 3-0 game to 3-2. The Bulldogs answered, however, as fivestraight reached in the bottom of the inning on four hits. Chance and Larry drove in three runs combined to push the lead back out to 6-2.
VMI had a last gasp effort in the sixth loading the bases with one out when Dohm entered. He rolled a ground ball to Lane Forsythe, who turned a 6-3 double play to end the threat. It was one of two 6-3 double plays for the day by the junior short stop.
MSU will try to take the series today as the team plays game two at 2 p.m.