The Mississippi State University baseball team won 17-9 against the University of Memphis Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.
To start the game, sophomore outfielder Dakota Jordan hit a two-run homer down center field, putting the Bulldogs in a 2-0 lead at the bottom of the first inning. Memphis quickly caught up and took over the lead.
End of 1 | #21 Mississippi State 2, Memphis 0
Dawgs strike first with a 2-run bomb by Dakota Jordan #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/x7tXPKzTOa
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) March 19, 2024
In the bottom of the third, sophomore infielder David Mershon hit a home run to tie the game. The Tigers scored one run in the top of the fourth, but their largest scoring inning was in the top of the fifth when Memphis earned five runs, including a three-run homer by the Tigers’ Seth Cox.
David Mershon with his first career bomb! pic.twitter.com/rOxaAtkihd
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) March 19, 2024
The Bulldogs remained focus and did not let the Tigers’ 9-3 lead stop them. By the end of the fifth inning, the score was 10-9, putting the Bulldogs back in the lead.
Senior infielder and outfielder Connor Hujsak drew a walk, which allowed Mershon to run home. Junior infielder and outfielder Aaron Downs singled to left field, allowing junior infielder and outfielder Hunter Hines and Jordan to score.
Hujsak scored on a wild pitch from third, then graduate student catcher Johnny Long singled to first, sending Downs home. Junior outfielder Bryce Chance scored off of senior infielder Amani Larry’s single down. To conclude the action packed inning, Center and Long scored as Jordan hit with the bases loaded.
After the fifth inning, the Bulldogs stopped the Tigers from earning another run and kept scoring throughout the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Jordan, Hujsak and Downs combined made up 10 of the 15 RBIs and 8 of the 17 runs in Tuesday night’s game. Mershon also had an impressive night, going 3-5 and scoring four runs. Sophomore pitcher Bradley Loftin started at the mound, striking out four players while only giving up three hits and a walk. Junior pitcher Colby Holcombe earned his first win of the year, striking out four batters and only giving up three hits in 3.2 innings.
