STARKVILLE – For the first time this season, Mississippi State’s baseball team enters a weekend trying to bounce back.
After winning their first 13 games of the season – outscoring opponents 115-34 during that stretch – the No. 9 Bulldogs find themselves in an unfamiliar position as they attempt to rebound from a stunning 3-2 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday night.
MSU coach John Cohen began looking forward immediately after the unexpected defeat.”As crazy as it sounds, this can be a good thing if we use it the right way,” said Cohen. “Do you learn from it? Do you grow from it? Those are the questions that we will have to answer this weekend.”
The weekend has now arrived. And with it comes an opportunity at redemption for MSU (13-1), as it opens a three-game series with San Diego (4-6). Game 1 of the series will begin today at 4 p.m.
While the loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff temporarily stunted MSU’s momentum, the visit from San Diego offers MSU a chance to pick up right where they left off. The Bulldogs averaged 8.8 runs per game over their first 13 games of the season and limited opponents to just two earned runs in each of its previous five games. But in a game against AUPB that featured a 51-minute rain delay, MSU’s bats never warmed up, as the Bulldogs managed just six hits while striking out 10 times and leaving 10 men on base, seven in scoring position.
“We just didn’t compete at all,” said Cohen. “That’s the most disappointing thing. We have to go up there and battle a little harder than we did tonight. That’s hat we talked about. We can’t just go up there and have bad at-bats and expect to win a baseball game.”
While Cohen was clearly disappointed with the loss to AUPB, Golden Lions’ head coach Carlos James was one observer willing to give MSU plenty of credit.
“That’s a very good baseball team, one of the best in the country,” said James. “They deserve their ranking, but I’m proud of my kids because they didn’t let that intimidate them.”
Playing better now
In San Diego, the Bulldogs will square off with a team that has overcome early struggles. The Toreros dropped their first three games of the season – all to Morehead State – before losing two more to Dallas Baptist. Throw in a loss to San Diego State, and USD was a paltry 2-6 before heading to meet No. 8 Texas in Austin last weekend.
In a three-game series that was shortened to two due to inclement weather, San Diego won both, limiting the Longhorns to just two runs over 18 innings, Now, San Diego looks to topple its second-straight top 10 opponent on the road. San Diego starters David Hill and P.J. Conlon limited Texas to just four hits, and Conlon struck out five in six scoreless innings.
Against MSU, Hill (1-2, 4.15 earned run average) will start the opener while Conlon will start Saturday.
MSU will counter with righthander Preston Brown in the opener, who has won his first three starts with a 2.12 ERA to open the season. Sophomore Austin Sexton will draw the starting nod Saturday, fresh off a 5.2-inning, 10-strikeout showing in a win over Arizona last Saturday.
Vance Tatum, currently the SEC’s Co-Pitcher of the week for his 12-strikeout gem against Samford, will start for MSU on Sunday.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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