Starkville - Ross Highfill exploded for three home runs in a 12-4 win Saturday night as Mississippi State completed a three-game sweep of Lipscomb.

The catcher became the first Bulldog to go deep three times in a game since Brent Rooker in 2017, and he's the first freshman to do it in school history.

"I think I've really dialed on not ever missing my pitch," Highfill said.

Lipscomb managed a run across on Bulldog starter Graham Yntema in the top of the first on an RBI single from Austin Kelly, but after Luke Hancock brought in a run a groundout in the bottom of the frame, it was evened up.

Highfill's first homer came on a solo shot to left field off Lipscomb starter Ethan Smith in the second, and Yntema began to settle in with the lead. The lefty from Lawson State C.C. allowed just two hits over the next four innings and retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth.

Bryce Chance drove in a run on a sac fly to put State up 3-1 in the fourth, but Lipscomb reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth. After a walk and an error, Yntema's day was done with one out and two on. Colby Holcombe got the second out on a grounder to 2nd base but walked the next hitter to load the bases. Bulldog lefty Tyler Davis came in to face left-handed batter Jake Berg. Berg, a .128 hitter, roped a double down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Bisons and 4-3 lead.

The Bulldog offense exploded in the bottom of the frame, and after three walks, Chance tied it up on a single, and Hancock drove in three runs on a double down the right-field line. Hunter Hines hit a towering home run onto Adkerson Plaza to keep the rally going, and Highfill, his teammate at Madison Central High School, made it back-to-back bombs on his 2nd of the night into the Left Field Lounge to put the Bulldogs up 10-4.

"It's happened in high school before, so that was a really cool moment," Highfill said. "We were smiling a good bit in the dugout."

The freshman put an exclamation on his historic night in the eighth on a popup that just made its way over the left field wall for a 2-run jack while the combination of Davis, Will Gibbs, Brock Tapper, and KC Hunt shut Lipscomb down the rest of the way.

Mississippi State got its first sweep of the year and they'll have a long week ahead of them as they'll face Nicholls State and Louisiana down in Blioxi before traveling up to Kentucky to begin SEC play.