STARKVILLE — Gavin Collins is finally healthy.

The Mississippi State junior suffered a hamate bone injury in his catching hand prior to the 2015 season that limited him to 35 games after he played in 48 games as a freshman. After playing catcher in first two years, he moved to third base last fall to protect his hand, but the transition has affecting his offensive production.

But Collins appears to be rounding into form.

Collins hit two two-run home runs to help the No. 24 MSU baseball team overcome a three-run deficit and beat South Alabama 7-3 on Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

“It’s showing up to the field every day just excited,” said Collins, who has three home runs in his last eight at-bats. “Not being healthy, it sucks. If you sprain an ankle or something, that can do so much to your mind. When you’re healthy, it’s just so much fun to be out here.”

Trailing 3-0, Collins hit a fastball from starter Hunter Soleymani (1-1) over the left-field fence to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth inning. The home run scored Nathaniel Lowe, whose two-out single to center field was the first hit for the Bulldogs (9-3-1).

Collins’ second home run came in the eighth when he hit a Shane McKinley fastball over the left-field fence to score Cole Gordon, who singled to begin the frame.

“I think he’s feeling a lot more comfortable at third base,” MSU coach John Cohen said. “I think he’s seeing the ball well, and I think he’s able to relax and play. We need him, too.”

Collins hit a solo home run against Oklahoma on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. He hit three home runs in 83 games in his first two seasons at MSU. He said he is seeing the ball really well.

“The ball is just looking good, and I’m just trying to take aggressive ABs (at bats) and be ready to hit every pitch and not take a pitch off,” Collins said. “That’s really helped. I was just looking for something in the zone and trying to put a barrel on it. The more balls you barrel up as a hitter I think that helps tremendously with confidence.”

South Alabama (9-4) built its lead on a two-run home run from Jared Barnes and an RBI double by Ben Gann in the third.

MSU took a 4-3 lead in the sixth when Brent Rooker had a pinch-hit two-run double. Cohen said Rooker didn’t start because of a sore ankle, but when the Jaguars went to left-hander James Traylor, Cohen felt like Rooker was the right matchup. He is 8-for-14 against right-handers, and Cohen said it was the “biggest swing” of the night.

Ryan Rigby, Ethan Small, Zac Houston, and Blake Smith came out of the bullpen to retire the final 14 batters. Small (1-0) retired all seven he faced for his first career win. He struck out three.

“Gavin’s on fire,” Small said. “He started off kind of slow, but I could just tell. He was taking great swings, hitting hard balls right at people, and that only lasts so long. It doesn’t surprise me he’s hitting this way.”

Collins is batting .286 with three home runs, three doubles, and 10 RBIs.

“I think he’s finally feeling healthy,” Cohen said. “I think his hand is really starting to feel better.”

NOTE: Former New Hope High School standout Wells Davis went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter for South Alabama.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.