elitedawgs
03-01-2019, 08:28 PM
Mississippi State defeated Sam Houston State 5-4 today in the Frisco College Baseball Classic. In the postgame press conference, Sam Houston State coach Matt Deggs said this was a Friday night SEC caliber game. Who can argue with him, he was absolutely right. Sam Houston State starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski and Mississippi State starting pitcher Ethan Small had strong performances in the opening game at the Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.
Small started the game with an unconventional first inning. Sam Houston State opted to go with, pardon the pun, small ball for the game, leading off with a bunt single. The next batter dropped a bunt to advance the runner. Small was able to get a pair of groundouts and catcher Dustin Skelton threw the runner out trying to steal third base.
For the first three innings, the two teams combined for three hits. That would change in the bottom of the fourth, when Tanner Allen ripped a ball to right, followed by Elijah MacNamee crushing a double to deep center field to get Mississippi State on the board. A Justin Foscue single plated MacNamee, giving Mississippi State a 2-0 lead. That would be all the scoring until the sixth inning, when Sam Houston State was able to plate two runs with two outs, tying the game.
In the seventh, that would change when Sam Houston State plated two more runs with two outs, aided by a Mississippi State error at first, to take a 4-2 lead. Mississippi State responded in the bottom of the frame by loading the bases and subsequently getting two runs home to time the game at four.
Trystan Barlow (1-1) came into the game in the top of the eighth with a runner at second and two outs and stopped the Bearkats attempted rally. In the bottom of the eighth, Justin Foscue smashed a double, ultimately scoring the winning run on a Sam Houston State error.
Cole Gordon entered the game in the ninth and earned his second save of the season. Mississippi State improved to 9-1 on the season while Sam Houston State dropped to 5-3.
Due to expected inclement weather Saturday night, both games tomorrow have been moved back two hours. Nebraska will take on Sam Houston State at noon, followed by Mississippi State and Texas Tech at approximately 4PM Central Time. Mississippi State freshman JT Ginn is scheduled to start for the Bulldogs.
Small started the game with an unconventional first inning. Sam Houston State opted to go with, pardon the pun, small ball for the game, leading off with a bunt single. The next batter dropped a bunt to advance the runner. Small was able to get a pair of groundouts and catcher Dustin Skelton threw the runner out trying to steal third base.
For the first three innings, the two teams combined for three hits. That would change in the bottom of the fourth, when Tanner Allen ripped a ball to right, followed by Elijah MacNamee crushing a double to deep center field to get Mississippi State on the board. A Justin Foscue single plated MacNamee, giving Mississippi State a 2-0 lead. That would be all the scoring until the sixth inning, when Sam Houston State was able to plate two runs with two outs, tying the game.
In the seventh, that would change when Sam Houston State plated two more runs with two outs, aided by a Mississippi State error at first, to take a 4-2 lead. Mississippi State responded in the bottom of the frame by loading the bases and subsequently getting two runs home to time the game at four.
Trystan Barlow (1-1) came into the game in the top of the eighth with a runner at second and two outs and stopped the Bearkats attempted rally. In the bottom of the eighth, Justin Foscue smashed a double, ultimately scoring the winning run on a Sam Houston State error.
Cole Gordon entered the game in the ninth and earned his second save of the season. Mississippi State improved to 9-1 on the season while Sam Houston State dropped to 5-3.
Due to expected inclement weather Saturday night, both games tomorrow have been moved back two hours. Nebraska will take on Sam Houston State at noon, followed by Mississippi State and Texas Tech at approximately 4PM Central Time. Mississippi State freshman JT Ginn is scheduled to start for the Bulldogs.