STARKVILLE – Ten different Diamond Dawgs collected a hit and six pitchers combined to allow just five hits as the No. 8 Mississippi State baseball program collected its 12th win of the season in a 14-1 decision over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday (March 6) afternoon.

The Bulldog (12-1) offense could muster just two runs over the first six innings, before an eight-run seventh inning gave them a cushion. Four more runs in the eighth inning accounted for the final tally of 14 for the game. MSU totaled 15 hits in the contest, while six MSU pitchers help Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-10) to just five hits.

Sophomore Justin Foscue registered four hits in the game, scored three runs and drove in two RBIs. Senior Jake Mangum posted his 84th career multi-hit game with a pair of hits, while senior Marshall Gilbert also chipped in two hits. Senior Elijah MacNamee scored three runs in the contest, collecting one hits and walking once.

On the mound, freshman Eric Cerantola (2-0) collected the win with three innings in the start. He fanned four batters, allowed one hit and walked one. Junior Riley Self tossed two scoreless innings with one strikeout, while redshirt-junior Spence Price, freshman Brandon Smith and Tyler Spring each threw scoreless innings, as well.

Quotable

Head Coach Chris Lemonis

On Justin Foscue’s night

“Yeah, he had a good night. I thought he played well in the field especially; he made a couple of really nice plays. He had a nice back hand with two outs and also the double play he started. The line drive he caught and the four good at-bats. He’s been like that for a couple of weeks now. He’s been really impressive.”

On the pitching staff

“[Our pitchers] got good work in, number one. We kind of scripted it out before the game and I thought all of the guys came out and competed and threw strikes. We played pretty solid defense and it kept us in a frustrating game a little bit. We were in the sixth or seventh inning and the guys are over-swinging a little bit and had some soft outs. Our pitching just held them right there.”

 

Justin Foscue

On wearing the teal uniforms to honor Alex Wilcox

“It means a lot. I knew Alex [Wilcox] and Alex meant a lot to this university. To wear the teal jersey, we're playing for her. We're playing for her family. We're playing for ovarian cancer. It means a lot. It definitely brings a lot of support for her family, and it means a lot to us, too.”

Eric Cerantola

On the adjustment to the college level

“Basically, you have to make sure you're not making mistakes and you're minimizing them. At the same time, keeping the ball down, switching up pitches and not falling into any tendencies [that hitters can sit on], just switching it up [to keep them off balance].”