The Mississippi State University baseball team provided plenty of thrill for fans this past weekend. 
The Diamond Dogs welcomed Michigan State and Eastern Illinois to Dudy Noble Field for the Diamond Classic. The Bulldogs won all four of their contests over the weekend, extending their winning streak to six games and sending both visiting teams home on sour notes.
Although a rain delay slowed the start of MSU’s first game of the weekend, fans still got their money’s worth as the Bulldogs put on a thrilling eighth inning rally to edge out a 4-2 win over Michigan State.
Head Coach John Cohen said despite the weather, he was pleased with the production from his team.
“We had a good night of work,” Cohen said. “It was good to see some quality at-bats on a difficult night. We have done a good job in two-out situations. Hopefully, that trend continues.” 
The Maroon and White jumped out to an early 1-0 lead behind consecutive singles from seniors Brett Pirtle and C.T. Bradford and walks to Cody Brown and Cody Walker. The walk to Walker would drive in a run with two outs.
Michigan State responded quickly with a pair of scores in the third to regain a 2-1 lead after Blaise Slater connected on a two-run double. Bulldog SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week Ross Mitchell entered in relief of starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff and allowed two hits and no runs. 
It was not until the eighth inning that MSU managed to rally and retake the lead. Wes Rea reached after being hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pirtle and Bradford would follow with back-to-back bunt singles, and the game-tying run came on an overthrow on a bunt. Pinch-hitter Daniel Garner hit a two-out single to break the tie, and Walker followed suit with an RBI single to end MSU’s scoring in the frame.
The Bulldogs swept day two of the Diamond Classic beginning with a 4-3 walk off victory against Eastern Illinois.
Junior Trevor Fitts pitched another solid performance giving up one run in 6.2 innings of work while striking out eight and surrendering only one walk. Lefty Jacob Lindgren earned his first win of the season after striking out three Panthers in 1.2 scoreless stanzas.
The Diamond Dogs quickly took a 1-0 lead in the first after Jake Vickerson stole third and reached home on an error by the EIU third baseman. The junior outfielder drove in another run in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI-double, and Alex Detz sent Vickerson home after belting a pitch back up the middle.
The Panthers responded in the eighth with a two-run home run to tie up the game and pave the way for a suspenseful ninth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, freshman infielder Reid Humphreys sent a shot to the shortstop for a single, driving in Gavin Collins for the game-winning run.
True freshman pitcher Austin Sexton shined in the second game of the day, pitching six shutout innings and allowing only three hits as the Bulldogs coasted to a 7-1 victory over Michigan State in the final game of the day.
MSU ended the Diamond Classic with a 9-0 triumph over Eastern Illinois Sunday. 
The game was closely contested until the Bulldogs exploded for a seven-run seventh inning to help ensure their win streak remained intact.
Freshmen hurler Dakota Hudson earned his first win as Bulldog. Hudson scattered seven hits over 5.2 innings of work. He encountered his most trouble of the game early in contest, but he said junior catcher Walker was a pivotal part in helping him work out of a tough spot.
“Being able to pitch out of that trouble was good for me, and it helped me get a feel for the game,” Hudson said. “It was good to have Cody back there. He came out to the mound a couple of times to help me calm my nerves, and he had me mixing up my pitches a little bit.”
With a 2-0 lead, Vickerson began what would be a huge inning for the Bulldogs with a leadoff single. Pirtle connected for an RBI-single after a strikeout and a Rea walk. Armstrong registered his second hit of the night via a two-run single. Jacob Robson would steal home afterward followed by RBI hits by Seth Heck, Walker and Vickerson. 
Armstrong had a solid performance in the winning effort, with two hits and two RBIs for the first time this season. He said the win gave him a boost of confidence.
“I felt good before this weekend, but it adds to the confidence — there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “I don’t feel any different at the plate but now I know that my role could come at any moment in a game, and so the key is to be ready at all times.”
MSU will take the field Wednesday to wrap up its 15-game home stand against South Alabama at 6:30 p.m.