STARKVILLE — Khal Stephen toed the rubber at Dudy Noble Field for the first time as a Bulldog on Saturday afternoon.
The Purdue transfer was one of the best and most consistent starters in the Big Ten last season, something the Bulldogs hope he can bring to the Southeastern Conference in 2024, and he certainly showed that against Air Force.
In one of his best outings of his career, the right-hander limited the Falcons to one run and three hits over seven innings of work, striking out 11.
With two outs in the ninth and Air Force down to its final strike, Chris Stallings spoiled the day with a two-run single as the Falcons evened the series with a 3-2 win.
“We just didn’t throw strikes,” head coach Chris Lemonis said. “We’ve got to come out and throw strikes. I mean, we’d done a great job of it all weekend. … It’s the freebies. Especially on a cold night where it’s hard to be offensive, you get runs when you don’t throw it in the zone.”
It was as wrapped up a win as you could get for Mississippi State (1-1), with reliever Brooks Auger having several chances to strike Stallings out in the ninth, but the Falcons senior survived in the count, fouling off numerous pitches before his game-winning single.
“With Brooks [Auger], if the guy gets a hit he gets a hit, but it’s the walks that kill you,” Lemonis said. “I thought Cole Cheatham did a great job. Brooks comes in and gets a strikeout, then a guy comes in and gets the barrel on one, but it’s the walks.”
The Bulldogs couldn’t answer in the ninth, going down quietly outside of an Amari Larry single, ending a tough night offensively for MSU.
An eight-run explosion against the Falcons (1-1) to open up the season on Friday didn’t translate into the middle game of the series, with baserunning blunders and nine runners left on base overshadowing nine MSU hits.
The Bulldogs’ ninth-inning implosion overshadowed Stephen’s career day on the mound, as he appeared in line for his first win of 2024 the Bulldogs scratched across a run to take the lead in the eighth.
They used small ball to do so, manufacturing a run after a Bryce Chance double to lead off the inning.
A perfect bunt down the third-base line from Connor Hujsak gave State a runner on third with one out, and Ross Highfill came up clutch with a sacrifice fly to give Mississippi State a 2-1 lead.
The wheels, however, came off in the ninth as last year’s Achilles’ heel – walks – once again hurt the Bulldogs, with Colby Holcome issuing two costly free passes to lead off the inning. Both eventually came in to score.
“It was frustrating,” Lemonis said. “We couldn’t get the little thing all night, you know, baserunning. In the ninth, we get two strikes, had a lot of close pitches and then the guy gets one through there, so it’s just frustrating. You feel like you had some real missed opportunities early in the game, and they came back.”
State and Air Force face off for what’s now a series rubber match on Sunday afternoon, and after an emphatic comeback win on Friday, the Bulldogs will surely be looking for some revenge on Sunday.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
