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Mississippi State Evens Series with 5-3 Win over Vanderbilt 3/19/2005 Starkville, Miss. – The Mississippi State Bulldogs scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed as they defeated Vanderbilt 5-3 Saturday at Dudy Noble Field to tie the series at 1-1. Vanderbilt is now 14-4, 1-1 in SEC play, while Mississippi State owns a 12-3 record, 1-1 mark in league action. Mississippi State scored three in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Jeffrey Rea led off the game with a double to center field on the first pitch. Jeff Butts drew a walk and Brad Corley drove in two runs with a double down the left field line that stopped in a puddle in left field foul territory. Joseph Hunter reached base after being hit by a pitch and Brian LaNinfa walked to load the bases. With two away, Ed Easley was hit by a pitch that brought in Corley. The Commodores cut it to one in the sixth inning scoring twice (3-2). Warner Jones began the inning with a hit over the third baseman. With one away, Brian Hernandez was hit by a pitch moving Jones to second. Tony Mansolino hit a double to right center scoring Jones and Dominic De La Osa hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Hernandez. MSU answered with two runs of its own in the sixth. Hunter led off with an infield hit to the left side. LaNinfa then hit a double to the right field wall and Hunter was thrown out at home when Matt Zeller’s throw from right field hit relay man Warner Jones who threw to Hernandez who held on to the ball when he was knocked down at home plate. Sophomore right-hander Michael Wagner came in relief for starter Jeff Sues and gave up a double down the right field line to Thomas Berkery scoring LaNinfa. Bunky Kateon singled down the middle to score Berkery for a 5-2 Bulldog lead. Vanderbilt cut the deficit to two in the seventh scoring one run. With two away, Antoan Richardson drew a walk on four consecutive balls and stole second. Jones reached on a deep shot to third base moving Richardson to third. Mike Valentine came in relief for Todd Doolittle to face Mike Baxter who got an infield hit scoring Richardson. Jeff Sues went 5.1 innings giving up four runs on four hits and struck out three and is now 2-2 on the year. Michael Wagner pitched the final 2.2 innings. Todd Doolittle pitched a season-long 6.2 innings for the Bulldogs giving up three runs on six hits and is now 2-1 on the season. Mike Valentine earned the save for MSU. Vanderbilt outhit the Bulldogs 9-6 led by Jones who was 3-5 at the plate. Feinberg and Mansolino each had two hits. The final game of the series is Sunday at 1:30 pm. Matt Buschmann (2-1, 0.76 ERA) is on the mound for the Commodores. |
