STARKVILLE — It was a sight that captured the minds of those at Dudy Noble Field and across the sports world.
The debut of ambidextrous freshman pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje on the mound for Mississippi State baseball might have taken place on Sunday, but on Wednesday, people got a taste of the full experience with him facing UL-Monroe as a starter.
Cijntje exclusively threw from the right side on Sunday, apparently sleeping wrong on his left side, but he was full-go from both sides against the Warhawks and what a show he put on.
Reaching the upper 90s right-handed and the low-90s left-handed, he struck out seven in four innings as the Bulldogs backed him up offensively, scoring double-digit runs in a 14-3 blowout victory.
However, the story of the afternoon was rightfully focused on Cijntje.
“I just wish he could switch hands in the middle of the batter,” Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis said. “That’s where you would really like to see it, but it’s special, man.”
Limited by a high pitch count he incurred early on and with pitching during the weekend, MSU fans only saw four innings of him, but in those four innings, along with those seven strikeouts, he allowed just three hitters to reach, hitting a batter while giving up a hit and a walk.
All told, in 75 pitches, Cijntje tossed a scoreless outing and showcased some emotion on the mound, something unique for a player who’s otherwise kept a calm demeanor.
“It’s kind of a new thing, seeing him with that kind of an attitude,” catcher Ross Highfill said. “I liked it. I’ve been trying to get him out of his shell and I think he’s getting really comfortable around everybody.’
“Now that he’s doing this great stuff, he’s showing his emotions. It’s a great thing for the team.”
Ambidextrous pitchers are a rare breed in baseball, the last notable name being journeyman MLB pitcher Pat Venditte, who pitched over parts of five seasons from 2015-20, appearing in 61 games overall.
Venditte sat in the low-to-mid 80s, whereas Cijntje can nearly touch 100 MPH as he did on Wednesday, making him that much more of a sight to be seen.
Highfill, a freshman who’s been making an early statement for the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball, has enjoyed the challenge of catching Cijntje so far, something that’s been incredibly unique.
“It’s the coolest thing,” Highfill said. “I was asking the umpire and he was behind the plate for [Venditte], so he’s kind of used to it. It’s a little weird getting used to his lefty and righty things, but you just have to prepare in advance, catch a lot of his bullpens and it will turn out alright.”
For as much emotion as Cijntje showed on the mound on Wednesday, he’s embraced his role on the team and has been more than up for any situation, never letting the bright lights of The Dude shine too bright for him.
Playing in as competitive of a conference as the Southeastern Conference is, that will only continue to help him during his Mississippi State career.
“He’s as chill as you’ll find in everything that he does,” Lemonis said. “Nothing’s phased him. He left his country and came here, a new kid, came to Starkville, Mississippi, just nothing phases him. He’s just a competitor and it’s just easy out there.
“He’s going to get hit at times, but he’s going to get a lot better. You’re going to see a kid who’s going to get better with his stuff over time.”
It’s unknown whether Cijntje will appear in the Bulldogs’ upcoming weekend series against Arizona State, but he’ll be a regular amongst the pitching staff this season as Wednesday was only the beginning of what very well could be a prolific MSU tenure.
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