STARKVILLE — The scouting reports for Mississippi State University baseball players Hunter Renfroe and Nick Routt say one struggles to hit a curveball and the other isn’t solid in the early months.
Maybe new scouting reports need to be written on both.
Renfroe’s career day at the plate lifted MSU to an early lead it used to earn a 6-4 victory against Lipscomb University on Saturday afternoon.
Routt, who has struggled in February in March with command or injuries throughout his MSU career, scattered four hits in a season-long six innings and allowed one unearned run in a 3-1 victory against the University of Connecticut at Dudy Noble Field.
Sophomore Evan Mitchell and senior All-American Caleb Reed followed Routt and helped MSU win the second game of the doubleheader to improve to 9-2.
“Nick (Routt) came out today and just had quality stuff, and when you put Evan Mitchell behind him with that breaking ball, it is tough,” MSU coach John Cohen said. “When you can hold a team to one run that’s as good as UConn … I think our staff did a really good job.”
Renfroe, a redshirt sophomore who played left field, went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs. Renfroe’s run-producing hits came in the first two innings when MSU built a 6-0 lead against left-handed starter Chris Nunn.
Nine of MSU’s first 13 batters reached base, which forced Lipscomb coach Jeff Forehand to lift his junior pitcher.
In nine previous games, MSU had scored only four runs in the opening
inning. It matched that number Saturday morning.
Renfroe, who lifted his average from .350 to .417, had a single and bases-loaded double in the onslaught.
“Renfroe is just a spectacular athlete,” Cohen said. “He can really throw a ball from the outfield and he can get big hits for you. We just need to keep cultivating what he can do because he can really be a special player.”
MSU was 8-for-17 with runners in scoring position, including four two-out RBIs.
Daryl Norris, who leads MSU with eight RBIs, hit No. 3 in the order and was 2-for-4 in game one with two runs scored.
Freshman right-hander Trevor Fitts (2-0) worked 4 1/3 innings in game one. He allowed two unearned runs and scattered four hits and struck out three in 50 pitches.
Fitts, a two-time Louisville Slugger High School All-American, was 31-6 with nine saves and 10 shutouts in 53 appearances at Pelham (Ala.) High.
“Trevor is going to be a good one,” Cohen said. “He is a guy that gets rewarded because he can come in and throw strikes. That’s just so important to have a guy who can come in the middle of a game and throw strikes for you.”
In the second game in two days against UConn (3-6), MSU never trailed. Redshirt freshman outfielder Demarcus Henderson opened a career-best three-hit performance with a single in the second. He scored on a two-run, two-out hit by C.T. Bradford. Henderson, who was hitless entering the games, was 4-for-5 Saturday.
“They kind of mixed and matched on the mound and we didn’t take great swings, but it was great to see a guy like Demarcus Henderson step forward and get some hits because we are going to need him,” Cohen said.
Mitchell followed Routt, striking out four in two innings of one-hit relief. He gave way to Reed, who earned his second save.
MSU will finish the four games in three-day stretch at 2:30 p.m. today against Lipscomb. Amory native Will Cox will get his second career start. He likely will be followed by freshman right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who will make his much-anticipated college debut.
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