STARKVILLE — Luis Pollorena doesn’t do running drills in practice, but the senior pitcher relishes any chance he gets to run the bases.
On Thursday in a 2-1 victory against the University of Tennessee in 11 innings, the transfer from Marian (Ala.) Military Academy scored the game-winning run in the 11th inning after pinch running for Trey Porter.
“I was trying to move my little legs and it worked out,” Pollorena said. “Even in batting practice I still do it for a time like this to help my team out.”
Less than 48 hours after the 5-foot-7 left-hander allowed just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 57-pitch effort against the University of Mississippi that lowered his ERA to 2.08 this season, Pollorena was sliding around Tennessee catcher Ethan Bennett for the game-winning run.
“As soon as I knew the ball would be caught, I headed back to the plate to see Pollorena take off,” MSU junior catcher Mitch Slauter said. “I figured he would make it, but I wanted to see him slide in there.”
Pollorena was an option for MSU (22-16, 6-10 Southeastern Conference) after coach John Cohen used freshman infielder Matthew Britton as a defensive replacement earlier in the game. Sophomore Demarcus Henderson was inactive with a broken hand he suffered nearly two weeks ago against the University of South Alabama.
“Demarcus isn’t even dressed, and (Brent) Brownlee has the knee thing, so we have four or five pitchers that can really run,” Cohen said. “It’s not something where they work on it at all, but Pollorena being a position player in junior college means he can really run.”
Pollorena, a former Alabama junior college player of the year, grounded out March 4 against Lipscomb University in his only at-bat of the season. He has been used as a pinch runner late in games in each of his two seasons in Starkville.
“I’ve been doing it all our life and I came here as a dual guy (batter and pitcher), so whatever I can do to help my team is something I’m willing to do,” Pollorena said.
Norris removed after ball lines off healthy knee
MSU sophomore third baseman Daryl Norris was part of the strangest lineouts in recent Dudy Noble Field history.
Unfortunately, the play forced him to leave the game Thursday night.
In the sixth inning, shortstop Zach Osborne hit a rocket shot down the third-base line that ricocheted off the left knee of Norris and was caught by MSU shortstop Adam Frazier. The umpires deliberated for a few minutes before ruling it a 5-6 lineout for the first out of the inning, but the out left Norris in pain.
The Fairhope, Ala., native is still nursing a kneecap injury suffered in early March that leaves him unable to plant defensively on occasion.
On Tuesday in a loss to the University of Mississippi in the Governor’s Cup, Norris was removed in a double switch that put freshman Matthew Britton at second base and junior walk-on Sam Frost at third. MSU used the same double switch n the seventh inning Thursday. Before that, Norris went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against starting pitcher Steven Godley.
“Daryl was just hobbling around and I just felt like he was going to have a tough night, so we got him out of the game,” Cohen said. “As this game works, the ball immediately found Sam (Frost) there and he made some plays.”
Norris fouled a ball off his knee and dislocated his kneecap March 7 against Penn State University. While he has been back in the lineup for the past two weeks, the sophomore returned to play defense last weekend at the University of South Carolina.
“Maybe (designated hitter) Trey Porter plays that position, although he had a difficult night offensively too,” Cohen said Tuesday. “You feel like he and Porter have to be in the lineup, so one of them has to be in the field. Is Daryl better there going half speed than a guy who had never played third base in his entire life until two weeks ago? That’s the difficult one.”
Reed finds magic for first victory
MSU senior reliever Caleb Reed just needed something good to happen for him.
The preseason All-America selection had been roughed up in his past two outings against Vanderbilt University and the University of South Carolina.
On Thursday, Reed (1-5) allowed just two hits and struck out two to help MSU earn a much-needed win.
“Caleb is a competitor, and that’s what he does best for our club,” Slauter said. “That’s why we hand him the ball every time in that scenario.”
After starting the series finale against Vanderbilt, Reed allowed three earned runs in three innings before being pulled in a 8-7 victory. Five days later, he blew a save opportunity after Chris Stratton had tossed a gem in a heartbreaking loss to South Carolina in game one of that series.
“I’d love to pitch until my arm comes off, but Caleb came in and did his job,” Stratton said. “We know when he comes in that our best guy in on the mound.”
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