Mississippi State (1-0) vs. Air Force (0-1) Game 2 Thread

[KOdawg1]

https://twitter.com/HailStateBB/status/1758959508204732664

[KOdawg1]

Excited to see Stephen. I think he can be our most consistent pitcher

[magrooder]

That was an impressive top half of the first by Stephen

[Commercecomet24]

Love Khals mound presence. Dude looks calm, cool, collected and in control.

[bigbub50]

I hate they don’t have radar on the broadcast.

[parabrave]

I hate they don’t have radar on the broadcast.

Any Radio.

[KOdawg1]

Hines will get it going eventually, but the dude is clueless rn

[mparkerfd20]

Hunter will be a 4+ year college player cause he can't hit a curveball for shit. One of the worst I've seen.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Looks like Hujsak has dropped a few pounds. Faster than he looks, kinda Westberg'ish athletically.

[Commercecomet24]

Looks like Hujsak has dropped a few pounds. Faster than he looks, kinda Westberg'ish athletically.

Hujsak has stolen a lot of bases in his career. Got power, +arm, good size and can run! He'll be drafted on potential alone.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Very impressed with pitching philosophy this weekend so far. Throw strikes, make them hit their way on.

[Commercecomet24]

Parker has done wonders with this pitching staff! It's fun watching pitchers attack hitters!

[Bdawg]

Can?t groove too many. Eventually they will get you. At least no walks ahead of it!

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Last year, we walked so many that would have been a 3-run homer instead of a solo shot.

[KOdawg1]

There you go Hunter.

He needs to think singles vs. LHP and then try to murder someone with RHP.

[Commercecomet24]

Last year, we walked so many that would have been a 3-run homer instead of a solo shot.

This! Solos won't kill you but 3 run shots will!

[Bdawg]

Well lucky to get one on an error with that debacle at second. Did Chance hurt himself?

[KOdawg1]

That's two idiotic base running blunders by Chance the last two games

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Stephen has 33 pitches through 3.1 innings. Efficient.

[KOdawg1]

So Stephen is really good

[Commercecomet24]

That's two idiotic base running blunders by Chance the last two games

He made a few last year too. He's a clutch hitter but not so good on the bases

[Bdawg]

So Stephen is really good

Well he throws freaking strikes!! Hope it translates to SEC play!!

[Leroy Jenkins]

Last year we brought in some portal arms that didn't pan out. This year's portal class looks good so far. (Through 13 innings)

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Thus far yesterday and today, I like that our pitchers are making the opponent beat us, rather than us beating ourselves on the mound.

[Commercecomet24]

Amazing how good pitchers look when they attack hitters and pound the zone and dint nibble!

[BrunswickDawg]

I can't remember the last time we had a pitcher get thru 5 in under 55 pitches.

This Kyle Stevens*** guy is legit

[Mjoelner34]

52 pitches through 5. We'd hit that after an inning and 2/3 under Foxhall.

[Coursesuper]

Thus far yesterday and today, I like that our pitchers are making the opponent beat us, rather than us beating ourselves on the mound.

It helps when you don’t pitch like 9 year olds first season pitching. That’s what we looked like last year. Last time I checked you can still not catch a walk.

[Commercecomet24]

It helps when you don’t pitch like 9 year olds first season pitching. That’s what we looked like last year. Last time I checked you can still not catch a walk.

Exactly!

[KOdawg1]

Joe Powell looks pretty good behind the dish

[Leroy Jenkins]

These transfer Catchers can play a little ball too.

[BeardoMSU]

Man, 14 is cruising. That kid is good.

Just 2 games in, you can tell our pitching approach is a 180 from last year....we're pounding the zone, going right after them every pitch. No nibbling bullshit. Love it.

Now our bats need to wake up.

[Coursesuper]

These transfer Catchers can play a little ball too.

Both are better receivers than anyone else on our roster.

[BrunswickDawg]

Khal Stephen is Jonathan Holder reborn as a starter in all his Untucked shirt, #14, luscious curls, pencil thin mustachioed glory.

[BeardoMSU]

Our base running needs some work, lol.

[No BS Dawg]

Base running is atrocious. Little league stuff.

[Commercecomet24]

Our base running sucks! Insane we're running ourselves out of big innings.

[Coursesuper]

Our base running sucks! Insane we're running ourselves out of big innings.

Im all for being aggressive and forcing them to make a play, but damn we are taking runs off the board.

[Commercecomet24]

I love Khal!

[Commercecomet24]

Im all for being aggressive and forcing them to make a play, but damn we are taking runs off the board.

Aggressive is different than stupid lol! We've cost ourselves at least 2 today

[msstate7]

1st start of season... I'd be getting him out of there ASAP

[BeardoMSU]

Haha! Love this guy.

[Commercecomet24]

Its early but we may have found ourselves an ace.

[Coursesuper]

Aggressive is different than stupid lol! We've cost ourselves at least 2 today

Yep.

[Coursesuper]

Its early but we may have found ourselves an ace.

He’s got sack for sure. Love it.

[KOdawg1]

Khal Stephen, say hello to Friday nights

[Coursesuper]

I mean just shit!we can step on our dick with the best of them.

[CaptainObvious]

And right on cue!

[msstate7]

Man, this is getting ridiculous

[DownwardDawg]

Damn. Base running

[somebodyshotmypaw]

The baserunning today has been stupid. I can handle aggressive. I can?t handle stupid.

[msstate7]

I'd rather get picked off 5 times a game than Hines take a 3-1 fastball down the middle. Stop guessing

[magrooder]

We can run ourselves out of an inning in a heart beat

[Commercecomet24]

My goodness our baserunning is absolutely brutal!

[CaptainObvious]

I'm bout done with the 2 strike Fist to Chest pump! It has just become a symbol now. I'd rather see the grab their SACK and shake it at the pitcher. They don't crap with two strikes anyway. Just tell the pitcher to "bite me!" And take Called third strike and go on back to the dugout!

[Coursesuper]

My goodness our baserunning is absolutely brutal!

This is just poor management now. You know the guy behind the dish is good at controlling the running game and we’ve already given the 3 free outs you would figure it would be time to figure that out.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

This looks like last year. Put the 7 and 8 guys on base without making them even swing the bat. Walk and HBP.

[msstate7]

Pitcher wild, and coach calls for a bunt with 1 out... man, college baseball is just brutal sometimes

[KOdawg1]

Lemonis teams have always been pretty bad at base running. It's a coaching issue

[Commercecomet24]

Hujsak my favorite player. Dude never complained about sitting last year and always plays hard!

[KOdawg1]

SMALL BALL BABY

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Let’s shut it down in the 9th

[magrooder]

Run manufacturing, nice.

[Commercecomet24]

Some of our base running issues maybe coaching but these today are on the players. These are reads being made by the players and they have been terrible. Base running generally happens too fast for a coach to affect it. Now I have no idea what's being done at practice but we need to get this fixed NOW!

[magrooder]

I hate walks, especially late in the game.

[Commercecomet24]

I hate walks, especially late in the game.

And Thomason coming up too!

[Saltydog]

Holcombe, SMH.......We've walked three in the game, all on him in one inning of work.......He's a long reliever, not a starter and damn sure not a closer......

[Bdawg]

Yank him!!

[Coursesuper]

And Thomason coming up too!

I pray that all for this 5 cent head. Now we know why he’s not in the rotation.

[99jc]

Stupid ass coaches should have pulled him after 1st walk. WTF!

[CaptainObvious]

Amazing. Our batters balls haven't dropped yet and our supposed closer swallowed his at a most in opportune time.

[KOdawg1]

Holcombe still broken I see.

Our success rate with high velocity, wild pitchers is pretty low

[msstate7]

Crazy to me that their coach bunted with 1 out with Holcombe on the mound, and then we played it for 1 run in the 8th with Holcombe starting the 9th. I'm not opposed to bunting, but I didn't like either of those walks considering the guy we have on the mound

[Commercecomet24]

Amazing. Our batters balls haven't dropped yet and our supposed closer swallowed his at a most in opportune time.

Scheulke will be our closer

[Commercecomet24]

Y'all chill a little. Lemonis is trying some stuff early to see who he can count on later. All baseball coaches do this

[BuckyIsAB****]

Auger will end up being the guy I bet

[KOdawg1]

Scheulke will be our closer

Schuelke/Auger

[Coursesuper]

Holcombe still broken I see.

Our success rate with high velocity, wild pitchers is pretty low

As someone said, he’s a hard thrower that hasn’t learned how to pitch.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Cheatham did his job.

[Commercecomet24]

Schuelke/Auger

Yeah Lemonis is experimenting right now but I can see Scheulke/Auger being used for matchups late

[Leroy Jenkins]

Welcome to the season, Auger; no pressure.

[msstate7]

Our coach is to blame for that. Hitter couldn't handle the fastball

[smootness]

That is on Holcombe, and on Lemonis for leaving him in. Why anyone thought he would be suddenly good for us, I have no idea.

[Saltydog]

Y'all chill a little. Lemonis is trying some stuff early to see who he can count on later. All baseball coaches do this

Well, we know one you can't count on.....Walks kill.....

[Coursesuper]

Can’t catch a 17ing walk.

[Bdawg]

Freaking weak ass grounder! Thanks Holcombe

[KOdawg1]

Lemonis proving again why he's a moron.

Holcombe shouldn't have pitched in the 9th and definitely shouldn't have stayed in after the first walk. Idiot

[BuckyIsAB****]

This is what happens when you give runs away on the bases

[smootness]

Holcombe should not pitch, period. He obviously has not fixed his issue. You can not walk more than a batter an inning and be counted on for anything, ever.

[99jc]

We don't need no experiment in a close game this was just plain stupid ass on Lemondick. That 17er wont be here next year!

[Commercecomet24]

Well, we know one you can't count on.....Walks kill.....

Yep.

[msstate7]

We're not even through 2 games, so I don't wanna rush to judgement. With that said, this looks like more of the last 2 years

[Leroy Jenkins]

We are about to waste a damn fine pitching performance.

[CaptainObvious]

Stallings hit a good pitch low and on the outside part of the plate. He just got it in the right spot. That's Baseball!

[msstate7]

Holcombe should not pitch, period. He obviously has not fixed his issue. You can not walk more than a batter an inning and be counted on for anything, ever.

Their moron coach bailed us out in the 8th bunting with 2 on, 1 out. If you don't trust your hitter, just tell him to stand there... its 50/50 he reaches

[No BS Dawg]

Our issues today have all been coaching related. Base running and Holcomb back out in the ninth after struggling in 8th. I get trying things early in the season, but we need to win games too.

[magrooder]

Somebody needs to step up and hit the dang ball.

[Quaoarsking]

If just 1 of the first 3 can get on base, Dakota Jordan will have the chance to win it

[CaptainObvious]

Pitching gave up 4 hits and 3 runs. The batters have to give us more. 2 runs ain't crap. In fact 2 runs is a losing score. Gotta get more. Hines should be batting 8th or 9th against Lefties.

[Offshore Dawg]

We are about to waste a damn fine pitching performance.
It was wasted because the Dawgs could not score.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Our issues today have all been coaching related. Base running and Holcomb back out in the ninth after struggling in 8th. I get trying things early in the season, but we need to win games too.

I agree that we have to get WINS.

[msstate7]

Why was cupp hitting?

[BuckyIsAB****]

We are not very good. This will be it for the bucket

[Quaoarsking]

Why was cupp hitting?

Because our coach isn't very good

[msstate7]

We are not very good. This will be it for the bucket

If I were betting, I'd say you're right

[The Federalist Engineer]

Is Cupp just Forsythe 2.0, we need 9 hitters.

Mershon and Kohler are sorely missed.

[Quaoarsking]

Fuсk you Chris Lemonis. Fuсk you Zac Selmon.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

When you get a pitching performance like Stephen gave us, in a nonconference game, you absolutely have to get a win.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Bye Lemonis

[Saltydog]

The bottom 4 in the lineup are a combined 4 for 23 this year.........That's a .173 average...........You can't continue to rely on 3 or 4 guys........

[Coursesuper]

This is what happens when you give runs away on the bases

Hey, someone that gets it.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Why he is still here is beyond me, we have literally set school records for losing streaks and largest loss the last 2 years

[msstate7]

This is gonna be a long season.

[msstate7]

The bottom 4 in the lineup are a combined 4 for 23 this year.........That's a .173 average...........You can't continue to rely on 3 or 4 guys........

Vs AF haha

[BuckyIsAB****]

This is gonna be a long season.

Could Lemonis top his own Vandy and Tennessee losses at home? We did drop one to VMI last year at home too

[DownwardDawg]

If I were betting, I'd say you're right

Me too. It's only been 2 games, but I watched them both. Team looks soft. Only a few tough players. Starter today was excellent but it was wasted. We are exactly what we've been the past 2 years. Coaching...

[Saltydog]

Y'all quit dissing on Coach's boy........

[BuckyIsAB****]

I know hitting the baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, but I personally think GoTro has been overrated too. Or maybe we dont have the players we think we do. Either way it is on this staff. MS State doesn?t lose to Air Force in baseball. Or VMI. Cant even come in 12th in our league

[The Federalist Engineer]

Is Stevens the Freshman Outfielder still injured?

He is supposed to be a top hitter.

Why are foam bat guys like Highfill and Downs DH'ing. They are marginal SEC caliber hitters, maybe not really D1 as hitters.

[Ranchdawg]

Yes it?s the first games of the season and it?s a long season but what I?ve seen in these two it?s going to be a very long season.

[msstate7]

I know hitting the baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, but I personally think GoTro has been overrated too. Or maybe we dont have the players we think we do. Either way it is on this staff. MS State doesn?t lose to Air Force in baseball. Or VMI. Cant even come in 12th in our league

12th would be improvement...
14th in 2022
13th in 2023

[NeuteredDawg]

Win a natty (that prob wouldn?t have happened if NC State wasn?t forced to quit) then drain the pool the next few years and high dive over and over. Who on our lineup is scaring anybody? No one.

[Saltydog]

Is Stevens the Freshman Outfielder still injured?

He is supposed to be a top hitter.

Why are foam bat guys like Highfill and Downs DH'ing. They are marginal SEC caliber hitters, maybe not really D1 as hitters.

Because they're better than the other guys we have.......Let that sink in........

[BuckyIsAB****]

12th would be improvement...
14th in 2022
13th in 2023

That was the point

[maroonmania]

That was some of the worst coaching decisions I've seen. Holcombe was fortunate to get out of the 8th without giving up a run with the walk and hit batter. He shouldn't have ever been brought back in the 9th and SURE shouldn't have seen a 2nd batter after the leadoff walk. Could Schulke not have pitched one more inning today? We are going to need every win we can muster because this team is going to struggle when we hit SEC play. I can live with losing but today's game was just given away by Holcombe's walks which sounds very familiar to last year.

[Activated Alpha]

Hopefully we can bounce back tomorrow and skull drag their soft AF asses. I don?t want to say too much too soon because it?s the first weekend, but we haven?t walked as many as we did vs our last year first series opponent. At least I don?t believe we have which is an improvement I guess

[MoreCowbell]

The loss tonight aside, we just do not look like a good team. Our players look like TikTokers not dirtbags.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

It is a long season, and I am not going to jump off the wagon after 2 games. However, when NCAA regional selection happens, every game counts. We let a win get away today. We can’t do that.

[KOdawg1]

Justin Haire, come on down

[DownwardDawg]

The loss tonight aside, we just do not look like a good team. Our players look like TikTokers not dirtbags.

This is what bothers me too. I didn't see any "grit" other than a couple of pitchers.

[BeardoMSU]

Win a natty (that prob wouldn?t have happened if NC State wasn?t forced to quit)

Oh, **** off.

[maroonmania]

Hopefully we can bounce back tomorrow and skull drag their soft AF asses. I don?t want to say too much too soon because it?s the first weekend, but we haven?t walked as many as we did vs our last year first series opponent. At least I don?t believe we have which is an improvement I guess

I'm going to gripe loudly about any game lost where you have a 1 run lead going into the 9th, the opponent isn't hitting anything and you don't use a pitcher you can count on to throw strikes. Giving up 2 runs to lose the game on one seeing eye single because you leave a guy in that can't throw strikes is worth all the criticism received. I'll will be shocked if Lemonis is here next year with those kind of decisions.

[DownwardDawg]

Win a natty (that prob wouldn?t have happened if NC State wasn?t forced to quit) then drain the pool the next few years and high dive over and over. Who on our lineup is scaring anybody? No one.

Lol. Texas was the 2nd best team in the series that year. Then Vandy. Vandy was gonna smoke NC state but would have had to use a pitcher. That would have helped us.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Maybe we need to try Hubbard out as pitcher, seems to be the only closer we have on this campus. That is Josh Hubbard for the ones who thought baseball was more important than the actual winning team playing next door.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Maybe we need to try Hubbard out as pitcher, seems to be the only closer we have on this campus. That is Josh Hubbard for the ones who thought baseball was more important than the actual winning team playing next door.

If you think basketball is going to out draw baseball at MSU you must like losing causes

[maroonmania]

Maybe we need to try Hubbard out as pitcher, seems to be the only closer we have on this campus. That is Josh Hubbard for the ones who thought baseball was more important than the actual winning team playing next door.

Schulke looked great yesterday but was used in a FOUR run game but he couldn't be used for an inning today in a one run game? So we use him in a non save situation but he's unavailable to pitch the next day? I don't get it.

[Todd4State]

We lost this game because we decided to run the bases like a t-ball team. Period. End of summary.

Yeah Holcombe pitched badly but he has to sack up there and throw strikes. His mechanics were a mess.

That said it would have been nice to have Dohm available for that situation after he quits pretending to be a starting pitcher or Lemonis decides to pull the plug on it after he shows scouts that he can't do it.

[Todd4State]

Schulke looked great yesterday but was used in a FOUR run game but he couldn't be used for an inning today in a one run game? So we use him in a non save situation but he's unavailable to pitch the next day? I don't get it.

Actually I think it was 2 and we expanded the lead.

[Todd4State]

The loss tonight aside, we just do not look like a good team. Our players look like TikTokers not dirtbags.

We outhit them. We pitched as well as them outside of Holcombe. The difference is we have them a full inning of free outs on the base paths. And no errors.

[StarkVegasSteve]

If you think basketball is going to out draw baseball at MSU you must like losing causes

No that is why I do not support Lemonis. Never have actually. Tried to tell everyone that he was winning with Cohen and Cann talent but everyone said I was stupid.

[StarkVegasSteve]

We lost this game because we decided to run the bases like a t-ball team. Period. End of summary.

Yeah Holcombe pitched badly but he has to sack up there and throw strikes. His mechanics were a mess.

That said it would have been nice to have Dohm available for that situation after he quits pretending to be a starting pitcher or Lemonis decides to pull the plug on it after he shows scouts that he can't do it.

So two years ago it was injuries, last year it was pitching, and now it is going to be base running. When can we just all admit that Lemonis is crap ball coach and move on.

[maroonmania]

Actually I think it was 2 and we expanded the lead.

I just saw he pitched the 9th yesterday. I missed the 8th but if he pitched 2 innings yesterday then it makes a bit more sense. Still terrible to let Holcombe face a 2nd batter in the 9th after walking the leadoff given how wild he was in the 8th.

[Todd4State]

So two years ago it was injuries, last year it was pitching, and now it is going to be base running. When can we just all admit that Lemonis is crap ball coach and move on.

I'm talking about this game specifically when I'm talking about the base running. We'll see if it continues to be an issue.

We all know the deal with Lemonis. Either we do well this year or he's gone. Period.

He's knows it too. He was hardly sitting on his bucket tonight. Probably the most animated I've seen him.

Time for some leaders to step up and if I were Lemonis I would have given gone full Garrido on them.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I'm talking about this game specifically when I'm talking about the base running. We'll see if it continues to be an issue.

We all know the deal with Lemonis. Either we do well this year or he's gone. Period.

He's knows it too. He was hardly sitting on his bucket tonight. Probably the most animated I've seen him.

Time for some leaders to step up and if I were Lemonis I would have given gone full Garrido on them.

No it is high time for some of these pitchers to nut up or find a new program. For the last two and half years this has been one of the least mentally tough teams in D1 baseball. That starts at the top. He can be animated all he wants, but until we start being able to close out games it DOES NOT MATTER.