Mississippi State didn't have the weekend they were looking for getting swept at the hands of the now ranked #15 LSU Tigers, but they may have found something in their pitching staff despite the loss.

Bulldog starter Parker Stinnett allowed three runs and failed to get out of the first inning Saturday, leaving two runners on base with two out for Brandon Smith. The highly experienced senior managed to get out of the first and kept the Bulldogs in the game into the seventh inning. In his six innings of work, the Richland, MS native allowed just four hits and one walk and only allowed one run across, a solo homer in the fifth inning.

"I felt like I came into a tough situation, and I felt like I gave it my all out there," said Smith. "In those situations where you can come up big for your team, it's pretty special."

While the Bulldog bats couldn't come through, giving Smith a loss, he gave them every chance to win the game with his performance. With Stinnett's recent struggles, allowing seven earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched in his last two starts, Chris Lemonis has kept open the possibility of a shakeup in the rotation.

"We've got a couple of different options right now," said Lemonis. "KC Hunt, Pico (Kohn) would be some. But we would have to look and see."

Both Hunt and Kohn had shutout performances over the weekend, Hunt in two innings on Friday and Kohn in 2.1 innings on Saturday. KC Hunt, a junior from New Jersey, started in Mississippi State's opening series against Long Beach State but missed the next six weeks with an undisclosed injury. Since returning, the coaches have been easing him back, but he has pitched well in his past three outings, allowing one earned run in 4.2 innings. Kohn has come in as a freshman, and the crafty lefty has made an immediate impact with a 3.10 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched.

Pico Kohn is set to start tonight's game against UAB, leaving the door open for Brandon Smith, who has started the last two midweek games, to be available for a potential start over the weekend. Of course, Parker Stinnett could still be in line to start this weekend, but State could likely opt for the more consistent strike-thrower in Smith, who has just one walk in 9.1 innings against SEC competition compared to 16 walks in 11.2 innings for Stinnett.