Full Game Recap: Mississippi State Baseball Versus Air Force Game 2

The Bulldogs are looking to clinch the series after an 8-4 win last night.

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs drop their first game of the season 3-2 to Air Force at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs could not have asked for a better start from Purdue transfer Khal Stephens, who pitched seven innings and struck out 11 while allowing one run. 

MSU made more baserunning mistakes tonight, but tonight it came back to bite the Bulldogs. Amani Larry was caught stealing in the seventh after reaching on a leadoff single and took an RBI opportunity from Hunter Hines.

MSU needs to sharpen up their fundamentals going forward, or it will be another long season in Starkville.

Full play-by-play below

Mississippi State Batting Order

1. 2B Amani Larry

2. RF Dakota Jordan

3. 1B Hunter Hines

4. LF Bryce Chance

5 CF Connor Hujsak

6. DH Ross Highfill

7. 3B Nate Chester

8. C Joe Powell

9. SS Dylan Cupp

SP Khal Stephen

Air Force Batting Order

1. 1B Sam Kulasingam

2. CF Chase Spencer

3. 3B Jay Thomason

4. RF Jake Greiving

5. SS Aerik Joe

6. LF Chris Stallings 

7. DH Trip Garrish

8. Walker Zapp

9. T.J. Oster

SP Jack Bello

Bottom of the 9th

Powell leads the inning off with a swinging strikeout.

Cupp strikes out, two down. 

Larry laces a two-out single up the middle.

Jordan grounds out to second to end it. Bulldogs drop their first game of the season 3-2.

Top of the 9th

Holcombe issues a leadoff walk. 

Holcombe falls behind 3-1 on the next batter, and the entire infield comes in for a meeting. 

Another walk for Holcombe. Two on and nobody out. 

Cole Cheatham will come in for MSU. 

Cheatham gets a popup for the first out. Runners stay put.

MSU will bring in Brooks Auger. 

Auger gets a strikeout, and runners advance. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs.

Auger gives up a two-out single, and Air Force takes the lead.

Auger gives up a two-out walk. Runners on first and second with two outs.

Chester fields it cleanly and makes the throw to Hines to end the inning. MSU needs a run.

Bottom of the 8th 

Chance leads the inning off with a standup double.

Hujsak lays down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and Chance moves to third. 

Highfill flies out to right field, but it is deep enough to score Chance.

Chester lines it to right field, but a nice sliding grab ends the inning. MSU leads 2-1.

 

Top of the 8th

Colby Holcombe will come in for MSU. 

Holcombe starts the inning with a strikeout. 

Holcombe issues a one-out walk. The first walk of the game for MSU pitching. 

The Air Force batter is hit by the pitch, and now runners on first and second with one out, MSU pitching coach Justin Parker heads to the mound for a word. 

Holcombe comes off the mound to catch a popup, two down. 

Hines fields it cleanly and touches the bag to end the inning. 

Bottom of the 7th 

Larry leads off the inning with an infield single.

Air Force will bring in righty Doyle Gehring to face Jordan. 

Jordan strikes out swinging for the first out.

Larry is picked off at first. Just a bad play by MSU with the heart of your order up. 

Hines grounds out to the pitcher to end the inning. A major missed opportunity for MSU. Scored is tied at one. 

Top of the 7th

Stephens gets a groundout to first to start the inning. 

Stephen gets his tenth strikeout, and he is fired up on the mound, two down. 

Stephen finishes the inning with a strikeout. A very impressive game for the transfer.

Bottom of the 6th

Highfill grounds out to third base to start the inning. 

Chester gets a one-out single. 

Powell gets a single but is thrown out trying to get to second. Runner at third with two outs. 

Cupp flies out to center to end the inning. We are still tied at one.

Top of the 6th

Stephen gets a strikeout to start the inning.

Stephen gets his ninth strikeout for the second out.

Air Force gets a two-out single to extend the inning. 

Powell fields it cleanly and gets the third out. 

Bottom of the 5th 

Hines smokes one, but right at the right fielder, who catches it for the first out. 

Chance grounds out to the shortstop for the second out. 

Hujsak flies out to the right fielder to end the inning. 

The score is tied at one apiece. 

Top of the 5th

Stephen gets his seventh strikeout to start the inning.

Larry has the popup for the second out. 

A flyball to Chance in left is caught to end the inning. 

Bottom of the 4th 

Powell grounds out to the shortstop for the first out. 

Cupp grounds out to the shortstop for the second out. 

Larry hits one down the first base line and gets a two-out double. 

Jordan strikes out to end the inning.

The score is tied at one apiece. 

Top of the 4th

Stephens starts the inning with a three-pitch strikeout. 

A flyball to centerfield is caught by Hujsak for the second out. 

Stephens gets a swinging strikeout to end the inning. 

Bottom of the 3rd

Jordan works a leadoff walk. 

Hines ropes a single into left field. Runners at first and second. 

Chance hits a groundball to short, and the runner at second is out, but Chance beats the throw. Runners at the corners with two outs. 

Air Force will in the the lefty Jimmy Hebenstreit. 

Chance is out trying to steal second.

Hujsak will reach on an error by the third baseman, and Jordan will score. 

Highfill sneaks a ball by the second baseman for a single, and Hujsak advances to third.

Chester grounds out to second base to end the inning.

We are tied at one after three. 

Top of the 3rd

Stephen gets a strikeout looking to start the inning. 

A solo home run from Air Force is the game's first run.

A nice diving play by Hines gets the second out of the inning.

Stephens fields it cleanly and tosses it to Hines to end the inning. 

Bottom of the 2nd

Chester walks to start the inning.

Powell flies out to left-center for the first out. 

Cupp pops up a bunt, and the pitcher grabs it for the second out.

Larry grounds out to the shortstop to end the inning.

We are still scoreless in Starkville. 

Top of the 2nd

A three-pitch strikeout to start the inning for Stephen. 

Chester bobbles the ball, and the runner reaches at first. Tough play for a third baseman.

Powell throws out a stealing Falcon to end the inning after a Stephen strikeout. 

Bottom of the 1st

Larry flies out to center for the first out. 

Jordan hits a line drive into the right-centerfield gap and slides into second for a one-out double. 

Hines strikes out swinging for the second out. 

Chance works a two-out walk. Jordan takes third on ball four. Runners at the corners with two outs. 

Hujsak works a walk. The bases are juiced for Highfill. 

Highfill grounds it to the shortstop, who makes the short throw to second to end the Bulldog threat. We are scoreless after one.

Top of the 1st

The first pitch from Stephen is high for ball one. 

Stephen fields his position well as he steps on first for out number one. 

The Air Force batter gets hit by the pitch. A runner on first with one out. 

Stephen gets a swinging strikeout for the second out. 

The Bulldogs get the Air Force baserunner in a rundown, and Hines tags him to end the inning. 

Mississippi State Baseball Wins Season Opener 8-4 Over Air Force