HATTIESBURG — Jacob Billingsley was in a tough spot.
Trailing Southern Mississippi 1-0, Billingsley walked two and allowed a first-pitch single to load the bases in the top of the fourth inning with no outs. Faced with the prospect of winning two games, things didn’t look very promising for the Mississippi State baseball team or the redshirt junior right-hander.
But Billingsley’s best stuff surfaced after he loaded the bases.
Billingsley worked out of the jam by striking out Cole Donaldson looking strikeout and getting Matthew Guidry to line to shortstop Ryan Gridley to turn an inning-ending double play. That’s when MSU coach Andy Cannizaro knew something was different about Billingsley.
“After that inning, I really felt like (Billingsley) settled down, really started to throw his slider for called strikes,” Cannizaro said. “He competed his absolute butt off. He would not let the other team beat him today.”
Billingsley pitched a complete-game six-hitter to lead No. 2 seed and No. 20 MSU to a 8-1 victory against No. 1 seed and No. 14 Southern Mississippi. MSU (40-25) won Game 2, 8-6 to earn a date against LSU (46-17) in the super regionals. Game 1 of the best-of-three super regional will be at 8 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2). Game 2 will be at 8 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2 or ESPNU).
USM coach Scott Berry noticed solid contact was a rarity against Billingsley (2-3), who struck out five. He retired 14 on groundouts.
“He was a two-pitch guy,” Berry said. “He threw a lot of sliders and his fastball had some action to it where we seemed to roll over it and didn’t square any balls up at all, so it must have had some deception somewhere. We needed badly to get into the bullpen in that first inning to put a little pressure on them.”
Billingsley threw 78 of a season-high 124 pitches for strikes. His performance allowed Cannizaro to save an already thin bullpen. MSU needed Billingsley’s effort even more after Cole Gordon started Game 2 and lasted only 2/3 of an inning.
Trey Jolly threw 3 1/3 innings and gave up three hits and one run. Spencer Price (4-1) then went three innings — his longest outing of the season — and allowed two hits and a run. Riley Self pitched the final two innings and allowed one hit to earn his eighth save.
“It’s been a total team effort in the pitching staff, and the resolve in that group has been incredible,” Cannizaro said.
Weather delay
Rain in Hattiesburg throughout the morning and early afternoon prompted the first game to be delayed 4 hours, 42 minutes. Managing the time proved to be difficult.
Cannizaro said the team bounced around between passing time in an auxiliary football facility, in the dugout, and other locales before they were informed Game 1 would start at 6:30 p.m. That being the case, Cannizaro decided to take the team to the hotel to check in.
Upon arriving at the hotel, he was informed the game would start at 5:45.
“Today was one of those days where it would have been really easy to not play ball in the first game,” Cannizaro said. “They cherish the opportunity to play together as a team. They were excited about the challenge today.”
All-regional honors
Five Bulldogs and former New Hope High School standout Wells Davis, South Alabama’s first baseman, were named to the All-Regional Team.
Cody Brown was named the Most Outstanding Player after going 10-for-19 (.526) with a triple, two home runs, and seven RBIs. Second baseman Hunter Stovall, shortstop Ryan Gridley, outfielder Jake Mangum, and Billingsley joined Brown on the team.
“It’s awesome. Anytime you get to play in the post season it’s pretty special, especially getting to play in the home state with all the fans out there,” Brown said. “Playing on the road is tough, but the atmosphere was great and (it was) a great championship Monday to be able to play in front of those fans like that and in an atmosphere like that. I really enjoyed it.”
Davis ended the regional with four hits — two of them solo home runs off MSU pitcher Denver McQuary — and a .833 slugging percentage.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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