Mississippi State hitting and pitching made a big return after the Diamond Dawgs took two out of three games from the Air Force Academy Falcons in the first home series of the season. The Bulldogs (4-3) tallied 42 hits and gave up 15 runs during the weekend to earn their first series win of the season.
A Friday rainout forced a Saturday doubleheader, and game one featured a pitching duel between Bulldog starter Justin Pigott and Air Force’s Alex Truesdale in a 3-1 Mississippi State victory.
Pigott and fellow veteran Aaron Weatherford held the Falcons to just one run and four hits. Pigott registered nine strikeouts for the second time this season and picked up his second win in as many starts.
Weatherford struck out five in his two innings of work, retiring the side in the ninth inning.
Pigott said the difference between he and Weatherford was one of the keys to the Bulldogs’ victory.
“The way Aaron pitched doesn’t shock me. I kind of helped him out by throwing about 83 or 84 [miles an hour], and then you get him throwing about 93,” Pigott said. “That’s tough for any team to adjust to me and then adjust to him.”
Pigott also worked his way out of a seventh-inning jam in which he walked in a run but also made a timely catch to end the inning and maintain the Bulldogs’ lead.
“I was really irritated about walking that guy in. Nothing ticks you off more than doing that,” Pigott said. “That ball just happened to be where my hand was, and I was very thankful for that. I just threw everything I had out there, and I wanted to come out with the lead.”
Designated hitter Jason Nappi led at the plate, going 3-for-4 and slamming a sixth-inning home run over the center field wall.
Game two saw the Bulldogs’ late-game comeback fall just short in a 6-4 loss to the Falcons.
Junior right-hander Chad Crosswhite was tagged with the loss, giving up four earned runs on five hits in his four-plus innings of work. Polk said he thought Crosswhite was having a problem with locating his pitches.
“He just got a couple of pitches up and mislocated a few,” Polk said. “They were a scrappy ball club and very well-coached.”
Sophomore third baseman Conner Powers shined offensively, grabbing three hits. Powers said he felt better at the plate on Saturday than he had as of late.
“I’ve been in a pretty big slump lately, but I just tried to calm down a little bit,” Powers said. “I got a couple of hits, but we ended up losing anyway so it doesn’t really matter.”
The Bulldogs also hit into three double plays, a factor that was key in the Bulldogs’ loss.
Polk said double plays were one of the main areas his team would have to work on.
“We hit into seven double plays today, four in the first game during the first four innings and three in the second game during the first three innings,” Polk said. “That’s tough to do, and the bad thing is when you hit into double plays, it means you hit the ball pretty hard.”
Falcons reliever Brad Pingel took home his first win of the season, pitching three-plus innings and giving up two runs.
Falcons ace Jake Petro was the true challenge to Bulldog hitters as he struck out two batters in the ninth inning to ensure the win.
Polk said he was impressed with Petro and his ability to keep up with hitters.
“The guy elevated some fast balls to catch up with them, but that’s their best pitcher,” Polk said. “He’s the most reliable guy they have. I think it was just one of those things where the kids were trying too hard.”
On Sunday, Bulldog bats came alive as they pounded out a season-best 19 hits to grab a series-clinching 16-8 victory.
Powers led the offensive attack for the Bulldogs once again, going 3-for-4 and batting in two of the Bulldogs’ runs.
Nappi, who along with Sneed has hit safely in all seven MSU games this season, continued his dominance at the plate, smashing a two-run homer to left field in the sixth inning.
Sophomore Ricky Bowen grabbed his first win of the season after allowing eight hits and five earned runs in his five innings.
The Bulldogs continue a 14-game homestand with a two-game series against Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Polk said there are still plenty of questions with his lineup, the most notable of which being the status of last year’s leading hitter, second baseman Brandon Turner, who left Saturday’s doubleheader early with more hamstring trouble.
“The kid’s just had a hard time, and the same thing happened last year,” Polk said. “We didn’t rush him back this time, and we felt like he was ready to go, but fatigue just set in.