Starkville, MS- The Bulldogs got off to a rocky start on Friday, but after the win yesterday, Mississippi State took the series from Northern Kentucky, winning 7-2 this afternoon.
Sophomore righty Cade Smith toed the rubber for the Bulldogs today. The Southaven native built off an impressive outing last week, pitching 5 innings, striking out 7 batters, and allowing just 3 hits and 1 walk. He allowed just 1 run, a sac fly by NKU right fielder Treyvin Moss in the fifth inning.
"I had the slider working. When you have the third pitch in there makes you feel more confident," said Smith.
The Bulldog offense got to NKU starter Kaden Echeman early, putting up 3 runs in the second inning. Centerfielder Matt Corder knocked in a run with an RBI single. Aaron Downs, a freshman from Pella, Iowa, made his first start in right field, and he hit a 2-RBI single in his first career at-bat, giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
"He's worked hard, worked a ton on his swing," Mississippi State Head Coach Chris Lemonis said of Downs.
Mississippi State struck again in the third inning, as left fielder Brad Cumbest hit a 2-run homer. Cumbest is off to a hot start, hitting .450 to start the season with 2 home runs. In the fourth inning, 1st Baseman Luke Hancock hit his first homer of the season, launching a 2-run shot over the right-field wall.
Senior righty Brandon Smith relieved Cade Smith in the sixth. He pitched two shutout innings and struck out 3 batters, allowing no hits. Brooks Auger, a transfer from Hinds C.C., came in to pitch the eighth and had a bit of a struggle. In 1 inning, he walked a hitter and surrendered 2 singles, one of them an RBI single by NKU 3rd baseman Manny Vorhees to cut the Mississippi State lead to 7-2.
Mikey Tepper came in to finish out the game in the ninth. The Sophomore from Fort Mill, SC, walked 2 hitters but got out of it with no damage.
Mississippi State will prepare for two midweek games this upcoming week, hosting Grambling on Tuesday and traveling to Pearl to play Southern Miss on Wednesday.