STARKVILLE – The starting pitching again held the Alabama offense in check and six late runs sealed another SEC series victory, as the No. 5 Mississippi State baseball program claimed a 9-1 win on Saturday (April 13) at Dudy Noble Field.
The Diamond Dawgs are off to the best start in program history since the 1989 team began the year 31-6 overall. The win also made Mississippi State the first Division I team to 30 wins in 2019.
A pair of fourth inning runs gave State a lead it would not relinquish. After MSU added a run in the fifth, Alabama plated its first run of the weekend in the seventh inning. The Bulldogs answered with five runs in the bottom of the seventh and capped the scoring with a run in the eighth.
Eight of nine starters collected hits, with sophomores Jordan Westburg and Rowdey Jordan each posting two-hit games. The long ball accounted for all of the late-inning damage, as senior Elijah MacNamee started the seventh-inning scoring with a two-run home run, before junior Dustin Skelton hit a three-run home run in the frame. Senior Marshall Gilbert hit a solo home run to lead off the eighth inning and account for the final run of the game.
Senior Peyton Plumlee (2-2) threw five scoreless innings and allowed four hits to earn the win. He walked two and struck out two in his seventh start of the season. Redshirt-junior Keegan James allowed one run on one hit in 1 2/3 innings of work, while redshirt-junior Trysten Barlow struck out one in 1 1/3 innings of work and freshman Brandon Smith threw a clean ninth inning to finish out the game.
Quotable
Head Coach Chris Lemonis
On how it feels to clinch a series on Saturday
“It’s nice. I’d like it if we could finish it up every Saturday. It’s big tomorrow too, for us to win the game. We’re in a tight battle in our league and for us to get another one tomorrow is huge. We expect to go out and play well.”
Peyton Plumlee
On how the team is feeling right now
“I think everybody is playing with their hair on fire right now. I think we’ve had some games up to this point where people have doubted us a little bit but nothing ever changes with us and we’re just going to look to keep moving forward and get another win tomorrow.”
Elijah MacNamee
On his consistency at the plate
“Just going up there with the same approach knowing what my ability is and what I’m capable of and understanding that I’m in this league for a reason. I’m an older guy for a reason. I know how people are going to pitch me now and [I'm] just going up there with confidence.”
Quick Hitters
Mississippi State
First to Thirty – Mississippi State was the first Division I team to reach the 30-win mark for the season and the 30-6 record is the best start to a season since 1989 (31-6).
Long Ball – The Bulldogs hit three home runs between the seventh and eighth innings, with Elijah MacNamee hitting his fifth home run of the season, Dustin Skelton going deep for the seventh time in 2019 and Marshall Gilbert hitting No. 2 on the season.
Peyton Plumlee – Threw five scoreless innings to earn his second win of the year. Allowed four hits, walked two and struck out two.
Jake Mangum – Extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a fifth-inning single. Also walked in the seventh and scored a run.
Dustin Skelton – Reached base for the 20th-straight game.
Alabama
Kolby Robinson – Chipped in two hits.
Tyler Ras – Drove in the lone run of the game for Alabama with a pinch-hit, RBI single.
