After a disappointing series loss to open the season, the Diamond Dawgs rebounded in a big way with a win over the University of Alabama-Birmingham on a blustery Tuesday afternoon.Led by redshirt freshman Jason Nappi’s first career grand slam, Mississippi State (2-2) grabbed a much-needed 8-2 victory over the Blazers.
The Bulldogs’ pitching made a big return as well, giving up just two earned runs and throwing eight straight innings of shutout ball.
MSU head coach Ron Polk said the win was a confidence booster for his team, especially considering the weather conditions they were facing.
“It was very uncomfortable, and the wind was very biting,” Polk said. “We knew we were going to have some cold weather, and this was one of those days. It’s still always good to win the home opener though.”
Nappi, who has hit safely in all four of MSU’s games, grabbed his first career homerun with the long ball to left field.
He also currently leads the team with eight hits and six RBIs this season. He said stepping up with runners in scoring position was a goal he’d begun to set for himself.
“It was good, timely hitting, and I’m glad I got the monkey off my back with guys in scoring position,” Nappi said. “I just kind of had a hunch, and it was there.”
Another young Diamond Dawg, freshman catcher Cody Freeman, led the Bulldogs’ offensive attack. Freeman, making only his second career start, went 3-for-4, knocking in one run and scoring another.
Polk said he was impressed with the freshman’s performance this season and compared him to the catcher he’d lost a year early.
“He reminds me a lot of [2007 catcher] Ed Easley because he doesn’t say much,” Polk said. “He’s not Ed Easley yet, but he’s a catcher of the future. We’ll break him in during the SEC games and with SEC pitching, but tonight I thought he had some real good at-bats.”
True freshman right-hander Forrest Moore grabbed a win in his first career start.
Moore worked five innings and was touched for two runs, five hits and three walks. He struck out five and held the Blazers scoreless for his last four innings.
The Blazers presented Moore with a challenge in the third inning as they loaded the bases with no outs, but the freshman then retired the side to keep the Bulldogs in the game.
Moore said he felt that inning was the turning point for the Dawgs.
“It was big. I got myself in a hole with putting people on, but getting them out was a big part of turning the game around,” Moore said. “It was just important to keep that score at 2-1 with us coming up to bat.”
Fellow freshman Michael Busby relieved Moore in the sixth and combined with junior closer Aaron Weatherford to keep the Blazers hitless for the rest of the game. Weatherford struck out four en route to earning his first save of the season.
Polk said his freshman pitchers particularly impressed him and showed much promise for the future.
“I was very impressed with Forrest and with Michael Busby, although they’re still youngsters,” Polk said. “I think down the road, if they stay healthy, they could potentially be SEC rotation guys.”
UAB starter Shay Crawford would take the loss after being touched for five earned runs, six hits and three walks.
Blazers reliever James Oliver was also tagged for four runs after Jet Butler and Conner Powers had back-to-back RBI singles in the eighth inning.
Nappi would earn another RBI on a bases-loaded walk, and Russ Sneed capped off the Bulldogs’ scoring after a balk.
Polk said he hoped the win would be a confidence booster as they head into the weekend where they will continue their homestand with a three-game series against Air Force.
“This was a real important game for us early in the season for us to get back to winning ways,” Polk said. “Now we’ve got Air Force coming in this weekend. But we’ve got a lively group of kids that seem to enjoy each other and enjoy playing, and I don’t think a couple of losses are going to get them down.