STARKVILLE, Miss. — No. 8 Mississippi State used three pitchers to blank South Alabama 3-0 on Wednesday night, as the Bulldogs turned two first-inning Jaguar errors into runs and added a solo home run.
South Alabama collected eight hits but could not score. The Jaguars fell to 5-7.
Errors Lead to Early Runs
South Alabama threatened in the top of the first inning. Bud Collura and Hayden Jones hit back-to-back one-out singles, and Erik Hindmon drew a walk to load the bases, but Cole Gleason struck out to end the inning.
Mississippi State scored twice in the bottom half. Jake Vickerson reached on a fielding error at first base to lead off and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Jaguars starter Matt Bell. Alex Detz singled through the right side to drive in Vickerson. Wes Rea singled to left-center to send Detz to third, and Brett Pirtle followed with a single to left-center that scored Detz for a 2-0 lead.
Detz led off the bottom of the third with a home run to right field for the final run of the game.
Jaguar Pitching Holds Firm
Bell, a right-hander, took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits over four innings with three strikeouts and no walks. He retired the final six batters he faced.
Hunter Soleymani followed with three scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one. Dilon Buhrkuhl pitched a scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout. South Alabama’s three pitchers combined to hold Mississippi State without a hit after the third inning.
Missed Opportunities
Adam Ballew drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, and Matt Bolger followed with an infield single to shortstop. Drew LaBounty’s sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position, but Mississippi State escaped with a strikeout and a flyout to left field.
In the eighth, pinch hitter Davis Knapp led off with a single to right field and Hindmon singled up the middle. After a flyout, a 1-6-3 double play ended the inning.
- Final: Mississippi State 3, South Alabama 0
- Matt Bell (L): 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 K, 0 BB
- Hunter Soleymani: 3 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- Dilon Buhrkuhl: 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- South Alabama hits: 8
Up Next: Southern Illinois
South Alabama returns to Eddie Stanky Field this weekend to host Southern Illinois in a three-game series.
