STARKVILLE – Mississippi State baseball kept it rolling in the Brian O’Connor era with a Game One win over Delaware at Dudy Noble Field on Friday. The Fighting Blue Hens managed to get out of a few jams, but a stretch of eight runs in the opening four innings set the tone for a Bulldog win to start the weekend.
MSU starter Ryan McPherson started hot with six strikeouts through two innings, with the Bulldogs allowing an unearned run. The Hens got one aboard after a fielding error at shortstop by Ryder Woodson and got him home on an RBI single, but McPherson kept it from snowballing.
The Hens added another run in the third inning, but by that point the Bulldogs were getting on the board at every opportunity.
MSU responded to the first inning score by putting three on the board in their first home half. Gehrig Frei got the first score with an RBI single and Woodson made up for his defensive error with a two-run single into left field. Ace Reese added to the scoring in the second with an RBI single on loaded bases, and Vytas Valincius kept it going with a walk to bring in another.
The Bulldogs left the bases loaded in the second, but picked up where they left off in the third. Andrew Raymond and Reese added two to the tally and Bryce Chance made it 8-2 with the lone run of the fourth inning.
The runs kept coming for MSU, with only one scoreless inning in the first six, but there was still a lack of end product at times. The Bulldogs left 10 runners on base through six innings, leaving the bases loaded on two occasions. The missed opportunities at the plate kept MSU from ending the night early. The advantage never felt in danger, though, especially with starter Ryan McPherson and reliever Jack Gleason putting up zeros over five innings and setting up for a clean closeout.
McPherson ended the day with six full innings pitched, striking out 11 and allowing just one earned run and one walk. Gleason came in, and the team never missed a beat. He struck out three in back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.
Maddox Miller came out of the bullpen to finish the job with a 9-2 lead in the ninth inning, striking out two to seal the victory.
Game Two of the series will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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