STARKVILLE — Hunter Hines, Kellum Clark and Brad Cumbest all came into Wednesday’s game against Southern University tied for the Mississippi State team lead at six home runs apiece.
All three left the game deadlocked once again.
Hines, Clark and Cumbest all homered, and Kamren James and RJ Yeager joined them in going deep as the Bulldogs (13-9) set a season-high with five homers in a 14-5 rout of the Jaguars (4-16).
“I feel like we’re kind of getting hot at a good time,” James said. “I feel like the more runs we score, the more confident we feel.”
Clark, Cumbest and Yeager went back to back to back in a five-run third inning for Mississippi State, bashing home runs to right field, left field and center field, respectively.
James homered in the second inning and Hines slugged his seventh homer in the eighth.
The Bulldogs came up just one short of a program record for home runs against Southern starter Khristian Paul and seven Jaguar relievers. Paul was tagged for nine hits and eight runs in just 2 2/3 innings by a Mississippi State lineup that has now scored in double digits for three straight games.
“Offensively, we’ve been kind of hitting our stride a little bit,” Lemonis said. “As an offense, we’re trying to figure out a lot about ourselves, and the last four or five games I’ve felt like we’ve been pretty good offensively.”
Paul’s evening ended one batter after Yeager went deep to center on the first pitch he saw, following Cumbest’s solo sock to the second level of the Left Field Lounge. Two pitches prior, Clark took Paul deep to right for a two-run shot.
It pushed the Bulldogs’ lead to 9-1 after a pair of miscues led to four runs in the second inning. Jess Davis’ fly ball into right field was misjudged, scoring one run; an overthrow on the play allowed another to score.
James followed with just his second home run of the year, a no-doubt shot to right field. The sophomore third baseman is hitting .324 but has not shown much power with just one double and one homer going into Wednesday.
James, Luke Hancock and Logan Tanner have only four combined homers on the season.
“Kam and Luke and LT probably haven’t hit their stride yet,” Lemonis said. “They haven’t played bad at all, but they just haven’t been what they usually are. I think if we get those guys going, it makes our lineup so much better.”
For the Bulldogs, there’s reason for optimism that those three players in the middle of the lineup will heat up. Mississippi State saw it with Kellum Clark, who started the season 0 for 16 before going on a recent tear; now, Yeager has done the same.
Relegated to the bench for a time, the Mercer transfer is 11 for his last 24 with five home runs and 16 RBIs since March 13 at Princeton. He added a walk to his homer on Wednesday and is now hitting a solid .293.
“Sometimes power comes in streaks, and we’re seeing that with him right now,” Lemonis said of Yeager.
Mississippi State used five pitchers in Wednesday’s win, with all but Drew Talley delivering effective outings. Talley pitched a solid fourth inning in relief of freshman Pico Kohn, but his fastball was hit around in the fifth to the tune of four Southern runs.
Sophomore Brandon Smith put out the fire, finishing the fifth and pitching a scoreless sixth; freshman Brooks Auger took care of the next two innings, and sophomore Jackson Fristoe finished it out.
“It’s good; I just wish I didn’t have to use them all tonight,” Lemonis said. “You’re hoping you get some better outings from some guys and some more length there. They were good. Those couple guys have been good lately.”
The Bulldogs will host their first Southeastern Conference series of the season against Alabama (13-8, 1-2 SEC) from Friday-Sunday at Dudy Noble Field.
“I think we’re ready to go,” James said. “We know how big of a series this is for us.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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