Coming off a disheartening midweek split with the Memphis Tigers, the Mississippi State Bulldogs stayed on the road and took all three games from the Arkansas Razorbacks over the weekend at Baum Stadium.
Paul Maholm went 10 innings for his second straight outing, and the Bulldogs took game one in dramatic fashion for the second straight Friday night.
Two batters after shortstop Matthew Maniscalco turned the game’s first pitch into a single, first baseman Matthew Brinson ripped a single up the middle that put Maniscalco on third. With one out, right fielder Brad Corley hit a grounder to third, and the Hogs couldn’t turn the double play, giving Maniscalco home plate. On defense, Maholm retired the first 10 Arkansas batters in order.
MSU padded its lead in the top of the fourth when three Bulldog batters opened up the inning with singles to load the bases. After a wild pitch hit centerfielder Joseph Hunter in the back to score a run, Maniscalco hit into a fielder’s choice that scored the Bulldogs’ third run of the game.
The Razorbacks tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with a single swing of the bat. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ryan Fox cranked a double down the leftfield line that brought in three runs.
Neither team could manufacture another run in regulation, so the clubs entered the 10th frame still locked in a 3-3 tie.
Corley began the inning with a single that got through the gap between shortstop and third. Head coach Ron Polk called for a pinch hitter, and Jeff Butts came through with a single in his only at-bat. With runners on first and second, catcher Craig Tatum hit a single to centerfield to load the bases. Leftfielder Jon Mungle’s sacrifice fly drove in Corley for the go-ahead run.
Maholm allowed his fifth hit in the bottom of the 10th, but he prevented any harm thanks to a strikeout and two fly-outs that ended the game. Maholm improved to 3-1 with the win, and the Bulldogs’ 4-3 10th-inning victory marked their second extra-inning game of the year.
State clinched the series Saturday with a more convincing 8-3 win over the Hogs. Pitcher Alan Johnson improved to 3-0 on the season, and MSU never trailed in the game.
After MSU produced a run in each of the first two innings, Hunter laced his second triple of the year to right-center to bring in two runs and give the Bulldogs a 4-0 advantage. Arkansas got on the board in the bottom of the second, but Johnson always kept the game under control, not allowing any multiple-run innings.
Maniscalco cranked a ball over the leftfield wall to open the seventh, and Steve Gendron extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games with a homerun on the next pitch.
Jonathan Papelbon worked three innings in relief of Johnson, striking out five and giving up two hits for no runs.
Scoring runs more easily, the Bulldogs duplicated their hitting performance from Friday night with 14.
“We’re doing a good job of making good adjustments at the plate,” Polk said. “When you’re pitching well, your offense feels able to chip away a little bit.
“We need to make sure our guys are focused. We’ve won the series, but now we’ll be somewhat disappointed if we don’t come away from here with three.”
MSU avoided any disappointment on Sunday by completing the series sweep of the Razorbacks. In the victory, Gendron increased his hitting streak to 14 games, and Brinson blasted his third homerun of the season.
Todd Nicholas registered eight strikeouts and held the Hogs to a season-low three hits in his career-first complete game.
State waited until the second inning to score this time, as Corley got things started with a double to centerfield. After reaching third on a groundout, Corley made it home when Mungle hit a double of his own. Second baseman Thomas Berkery singled through the left side to score Mungle for a 2-0 lead.
With Nicholas on the hill to notch his third win with no losses, the Bulldogs never looked back and cruised to a 5-1 win.
MSU (17-3-1, 5-1) returns to Dudy Noble Field Tuesday and Wednesday for a midweek match-up against Moorhead State University.