HOOVER, Ala. — The list of position players called upon to pitch for Mississippi State just added a potential Southeastern Conference triple crown winner: Brent Rooker.
Rooker faced three batters and recorded an out in MSU’s 9-2 loss to Arkansas Friday. The loss, coming after a 12-3 loss to top seed Florida earlier in the day, eliminated the Bulldogs (36-24) from the SEC tournament; they await their NCAA tournament destination.
“He’s been begging for the ball all season long,” MSU coach Andy Cannizaro said, “and I think everybody here would agree he’s earned the opportunity to go to the mound.”
Rooker said it has been five years since he pitched with any regularity, going back to his junior year of high school. He doesn’t remember what his velocity was like at the time, but he doubts it was better than the 80 to 82 his fastball hovered around Friday night.
Rooker’s appearance started with a walk and a two-run double on a weak ground ball, but he recovered to retire the final Arkansas batter of the game.
“I was just throwing it, trying to get it close to the plate and get some swings,” Rooker said. “(Arkansas catcher Grant Koch) absolutely crushed that last ball, he just happened to hit it at the right fielder.”
More than the novelty of letting Rooker take a final crack at pitching, the stunt converted on its secondary goal: more attention for Brent Rooker as national player of the year.
Rooker is a likely finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, where one of his top competitors would be Louisville’s Brendan McKay. McKay has garnered attention as an elite two-way player with a .360 batting average over 55 games as a hitter and a 2.37 earned run average (ERA) over 14 starts.
“That was the goal, to get me on the same level as that guy,” Rooker joked. “From what I’ve heard I have to work on my curveball to throw them like he does.”
Bragg’s return
Long lost MSU third baseman Harrison Bragg made his return to the starting lineup in the loss to Arkansas after missing two weeks with a stomach illness. He returned as designated hitter and struck out in both at-bats before being pinch hit for by Cole Gordon.
Bragg also entered the loss to Florida Friday afternoon as a defensive substitute, playing an inning at third base.
Price update
MSU reliever Spencer Price faced just one batter in the eighth inning of the loss to Florida, throwing a seven-pitch walk. It was the continuation of Price’s struggles since he rolled his ankle against Alabama on April 21.
Price, at one point the nation’s leader in saves, has not saved a game since then while fellow reliever Riley Self has saved four. Price has only pitched four times since that date, allowing five hits and four walks in a combined 3 2/3 innings.
“Price is supposed to be healthy. He was healthy, he just didn’t throw it over the plate, he did not throw strikes,” Cannizaro said. “When you don’t throw strikes and you don’t throw it over the plate, you’re not going to have the right to stand on the mound and pitch.”
Cannizaro added after the Arkansas game Self is now, “the guy,” at the end of games.
Defensive shuffling
After seemingly having a settled lineup near the end of the conference schedule, MSU made some slight alterations throughout the SEC tournament. Cody Brown, at times an established left fielder, also started at third base.
Elijah MacNamee got a start somewhere other than right field or designated hitter for the first time in weeks, starting MSU’s final tournament game in left field. His usual right field spot was occupied by Hunter Vansau, a designated hitter of late who has rarely been used in the field defensively in conference play.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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