STARKVILLE — The first time the Mississippi State lineup saw Texas A&M’s John Doxakis, it needed help. Through two innings, a hit batsman, wild pitch and Aggie third baseman George Janca falling down while fielding a bunt combined for the entirety of MSU’s offense.
In the third, Texas A&M had it all lined up to turn a bases-loaded jam into yet another opportunity passed via double play. Then the throw to first sailed left; freshman Rowdey Jordan sprinted around third base to give MSU two runs on the play.
The Bulldogs never stopped scoring.
Four consecutive hits followed the throwing error, the final three hits driving runs, starting the team’s most impressive offensive showing against a Southeastern Conference opponent. Fifteen hits buried Texas A&M (31-12, 10-10 SEC) in MSU’s 11-6 win Saturday night. It forced a 3:30 p.m. rubber match after Friday’s 6-3 loss.
Hunter Stovall’s single after the error moved Alexander into scoring position; Justin Foscue doubled to score them both, Elijah MacNamee doubled to score him and Marshall Gilbert singled to bring MacNamee in, building a 6-0 lead.
The momentum never stopped: MSU (24-20, 9-11 SEC) led off the next inning with two consecutive hits and a RBI groundout from Tanner Allen to expand the lead.
The three-run home run off the bat of Texas A&M second baseman Michael Helman was the only blemish for MSU starting pitcher Ethan Small (5-3), who threw 5 1/3 innings with those three runs being the only he allowed. MSU built more cushion with a three-run seventh, fueled by Jake Mangum’s RBI double.
Mangum ended the game 4-for-4 with a double and reached base in every plate appearance. There was shake up behind him in the lineup and the new look order delivered: Jordan moved up from No. 9 to No. 2 and delivered three hits, while Stovall had three hits after moving down from fourth to fifth. MacNamee added two hits, both of them doubles, and Foscue drove in two runs to lead the lineup.
Zach Neff pitched the final three innings without allowing an earned run and no scoring at all until the game’s penultimate batter.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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