—NCAA Regional at Atlanta
No. 3 MSU (34-23, finished second in SEC West) v No. 2 Southern Miss (39-17, C-USA regular-season champion)
Game time: 2 p.m. (CDT)
Broadcast: CSS
—Starting Pitchers:
—MSU: LHP Luis Pollorena (6-5, 4-44 ERA)
Pollorena has given up 10 earned runs in his last six innings, including seven in MSU”s Game 1 loss to LSU. Pollorena gave up the grand slam to Florida that helped the Gators beat the Bulldogs 7-5 on the opening day of the SEC tournament.
However, Pollorena”s most efficient outing was against the Golden Eagles on April 5 when he threw 5 1/3 shut-out innings. He gave up one hit and struck out six batters.
“It helps me alot, confidence-wise, having that under my belt,” Pollorena said. “We”re just gonna have to work a little harder since they”ve seen me once already. I”m just gonna follow Wes here. Me and him should have a good game. Whatever he calls I”m gonna go with. He does the scouting reports like no other and that just helps us out a lot.”
Pollorena will be making his fourth start of the season after spending much of the year as the matchup left-hander out of the bullpen. Pollorena threw 32 2/3 innings out of the pen before making his first start at Tennessee on May 6.
Pollorena has used a week of rest to the fullest, gaining extra velocity on his fastball.
“I felt great when we threw a bullpen, and I think I threw the hardest out of the whole year,” Pollorena said. “(Catcher Wes) Thigpen caught for me, and he told me it had more life to it and more velocity.”
—USM: RHP Todd McInnis (8-2, 2.61 ERA)
McInnis, a senior, has been Southern Miss” most effective pitcher this season, leading the starters in ERA and innings pitched (89.2).
McInnins has given up and average of 5.2 hits over the last three games. In those three starts, he”s pitched 21 1/3 innings, including a complete game against Tulane.
Since a three-inning outing against Troy on Feb. 25, McInnis has pitched five innings or more in each start. For the season, he”s averaged 6.37 innings per start.
“There”s not anybody I”d rather have on the mound,” USM coach Scott Berry said. “I don”t know what we”re gonna do next year. We”ve had the luxury of having his leadership, not only his pitch ability and what he gives you and the opportuntiy it gives you to win every time he takes the mound, but the leadership he shows the younger guys and how he goes about his business. He plays the game and studies the game, I couldn”t feel better with anybody.”
—Look out for the middle of MSU”s lineup:
The trio of Nick Vickerson, Jarrod Parks and Jaron Shepherd were the catalysts for MSU”s form down the stretch of the season.
MSU”s offense over the last month has hinged on what the three seniors have done at the plate.
During MSU”s 10-game stretch when it won eight and won series” against Tennessee and Ole Miss, Parks was 11-for-31, Shepherd was 12-of-36 and Vickerson was 16-of-36.
Over MSU”s last five, a stretch in which its lost four games, Shepherd is 5-of-18, Parks was 4-of-17 and Vickerson was 4-of-15.
Parks said he must play with the mindset of a “situational” hitter.
“I”m just gonna go back to the simplest approach possible,” Parks said. “A lot of times when you”re in a slump, you try to get it all back in one swing. I realize, obviously, you can”t do that. This regional, I”m really gonna try hard to take an easy swing and maybe poke a ball to right instead of maybe trying to hit a ball over the left-field wall.”
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