HATTIESBURG — Late-inning pitching and home runs have been elusive for the Mississippi State baseball team at times, especially in the final weeks of the season.
MSU delivered those elements in timely fashion Sunday night to secure a chance to play for the title of the NCAA tournament’s Hattiesburg Regional.
After a 5-4 victory against Illinois-Chicago earlier Sunday kept the season alive, No. 2 seed and No. 20 MSU beat No. 3 seed South Alabama 7-3 to advance to the final day of regional play. MSU (38-25) will play No. 1 seed Southern Mississippi at 1 p.m. today. If MSU wins, it will force a 6 p.m. game that will determine which team will advance to face LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional.
MSU hit two home runs in a five-run third inning that gave it control. The home runs came in similar situations: second baseman Hunter Stovall and third baseman / left fielder Cody Brown worked their counts to 2-0 and then didn’t miss fastballs to help the Bulldogs avenge a 6-3 loss to the Jaguars on Friday on the first day of the regional.
Stovall’s home run, a two-run shot, was his second of the season and MSU career. He has hit both home runs in his last 33 at-bats. First baseman Brent Rooker and shortstop Ryan Gridley then reached base and scored on Brown’s home run, his eighth.
“They were pitching me away, so I thought they were going to surprise me with a fastball in,” Brown said.
The home runs were the undoing of starting pitcher Andy Arguelles (3-3), who entered the day with victories against Auburn and LSU. But the freshman left-hander from Miami lasted only 2 2/3 innings and allowed six hits and five runs. He walked on and struck out two.
“You see some of the teams he’s faced and beaten. This was a bit of a shock,” South Alabama coach Mark Calvi said. “We expected to go out there and win today with Arguelles on the mound.”
Left-hander Thomas Huston kept USA in the game with 4 2/3 innings of solid relief. He allowed five hits and one run. He walked one and struck out three.
Cole Gordon hit MSU’s third home run in the top of the ninth. Gordon, who was MSU’s starting pitcher Friday, served as designated hitter against UIC. He hit his home run off Matt Peacock as a pinch hitter.
Cannizaro said Gordon’s at-bats Sunday were inspired by his recent batting practice sessions, even though Gordon had only eight at-bats in April and May.
MSU starting pitcher Denver McQuary (3-3) went five innings and allowed two hits, which were solo home runs by former New Hope High School standout Wells Davis. Peyton Plumlee surrendered one run on two hits in four innings for his first save. He walked one and struck out five.
“The first thing he had tonight was an incredible drive to succeed. You could see it on his face tonight. He was attacking hitters. He wasn’t scared,” MSU coach Andy Cannizaro said. “I thought Peyton got better as he went tonight. He settled into the ballgame. His confidence began to grow and he was in attack mode all night.”
MSU will need more of the same against USM (50-14), a team MSU lost to 7-5 on March 21 in Pearl. Cannizaro said Jacob Billingsley most likely would be the Bulldogs’ starting pitcher for the first game, but that wasn’t set in stone.
As for relief options, center fielder Jake Mangum could be called on. Cannizaro said he talked to Mangum, who hasn’t pitched since breaking his hand against Kentucky on April 9, on Sunday about returning to the mound.
“I’m not planning on it,” Cannizaro said he told Mangum, “but if the situation dictates, don’t check out on pitching yet. Don’t be surprised if I call you to the bullpen.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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