STARKVILLE — Jack Kruger is no stranger to Division I baseball.
Kruger played as a freshman at Oregon in 2014 before transferring to Orange Coast (Calif.) College, where he played last season.
Kruger’s experience at the Division I level was evident this weekend in his first four games for Mississippi State. On Sunday, Kruger was a triple shy of the cycle to lead No. 20 MSU to a 15-5 victory against South Dakota State in seven innings at Dudy Noble Field.
In his first game, Kruger went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in a 10-6 loss to Florida Atlantic. In his first game at Oregon, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against Hawaii.
In four games this weekend, Kruger went 9-for-16 with five doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, and four walks.
“Friday night after the game I was remembering back to my Friday night game at Oregon and it was a way different experience,” Kruger said. “A lot of nerves and butterflies freshman year, but this year was totally different. I think it has some big impact.”
MSU coach John Cohen and his coaching staff believed Kruger was capable of big things at the plate. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder from Calabasas, California, didn’t disappoint.
“We knew when he got here he was going to hit,” Cohen said. “He has a swing that’s just very difficult for a lot to go wrong. He’ll go through hills and valleys, but he’s going to hit because he has such a simple approach to the baseball.”
Kruger hit one of those valleys Saturday night when he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in a 4-0 loss to FAU.
Even though he is batting .563 and the team is hitting .356 after the first weekend, Kruger doesn’t want to get complacent because he knows it’s a long season and MSU will see plenty of good arms in the future.
“They’ve been good, but it’s the first series,” Kruger said. “We’re going to continue to see better pitching, so there’s a long way to go.”
On Saturday, the Bulldogs (2-2) beat the Jackrabbits 17-4. They carried that offensive production into the second matchup with 14 hits. Tied at 5 entering the bottom of the third, MSU scored six runs to put the game out of reach. Kruger brought home two runs with a single to left field.
The junior began his day with a walk and then doubled on hit a screamer over the center fielder’s head. After the two-run single, he hit his second-career home run (first with the Bulldogs) with a long shot over the left-field wall in the fourth.
“It’s a good feeling,” Kruger said. “How else would you describe it? The ball goes over the fence, everyone cheers, and it it’s a good time. It’s nice to get the first one out of the way.”
Kruger walked in his final plate appearance in the sixth.
Kruger offered a glimpse of his potential at the plate in the fall. He had a slow spring after arm surgery and still isn’t 100 percent, but it hasn’t slowed him at the plate.
The Bulldogs have several young players who enjoyed watching Kruger on the first weekend.
“He’s probably the best hitter I’ve seen in my life, just his approach every day, even in BP (batting practice) and in the Palmeiro Center,” Luke Alexander said. “It’s just unreal watching him prepare and get ready to hit.”
Kruger isn’t the only Bulldog who played Division I baseball and then transferred to a junior college before coming to Starkville. Nathaniel Lowe played at Mercer and then transferred to St. Johns River (Fla.) Community College. Kruger and Lowe had big seasons at junior college, which helped make Cohen’s decision to recruit them easier. Lowe hit .286 with one double and three RBIs this weekend.
MSU will play Memphis at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the first midweek game of the season.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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