TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The name card made for him by the NCAA had Matthew Britton’s name spelled wrong.
That’s what happens to you when you enter regional play hitting .154. The Mississippi State University infielder did what he has done throughout his freshman season — turned the joke on himself.
“Hey Sammy, I guess I’m Matthew Bitton now,” Britton said to teammate Sam Frost after the media conference holding his name card. “I don’t know it must be another joke for a freshman thing, right?”
While playing against several members of the University of Alabama at Birmingham team he competed against in the state of Alabama in high school or summer baseball, the Cullman (Ala.) High School product went 2-for-3 with three runs scored Saturday in an 8-1 victory.
“It’s baseball, and everybody can struggle sometimes, but you got to keep swinging and keep working at it,” Britton said.
In his first start since May 15, Britton produced the third multi-hit day of his career. It didn’t include a bunt down the first-base line that caused problems for high school teammate Chase Mallard. Britton’s bunt made Mallard and first baseman John Frost collide and caused the throw to first
to be low and outside. The error allowed Britton to be the fourth consecutive batter to reach base.
“When I bunted it, I saw the first baseman and Chase Mallard called it at the same time,” Britton said. “That’s when I knew I had a chance.”
Britton showcased his defensive skills, turning a pair of ground balls to shortstop Adam Frazier into 6-4-3 double plays. The twin-killings helped MSU increase its nation-leading total to 70.
“It’s just a turn and throw, really. It’s pretty easy and simple to be honest,” Britton said.
MSU coach John Cohen said he wants Britton to think it’s “that simple” all of the time. He quickly corrected the media, though, when he said it is difficult for a player to have consistent body movement all of the time.
“Matthew Britton has the best arm strength on our club,” Cohen said. “I really feel like with Frazier, Frost, and Britton we have three guys that are SEC-level shortstops in our infield at three spots.”
Pollorena makes first start beyond the pitching mound Saturday
In most of MSU career, junior Luis Pollorena has been known as a high-energy left-handed pitcher.
The 5-foot-7 athlete from Laredo, Texas, added another statistic to his career by starting an NCAA tournament regional game in right field.
Pollorena, who was a outfielder and pitcher at Marian (Ala.) Military Academy before signing with MSU two years ago, had a bunt single, a walk, and a run scored hitting in the No. 5 spot in the order.
“I felt like that part of our lineup was a little bit more swing-and-miss, and the thing I know about Pollorena is I know he’s going to make contact,” Cohen said. “I also have to know before doing that that Pollo’s not going to pitch for us that day.”
Prior to the game, Pollorena had three official at-bats in this season. He had a game-tying sacrifice fly last week in a 4-3 comeback win against No. 2 LSU in the Southeastern Conference tournament in Hoover, Ala.
After the 8-1 victory against UAB, senior pitcher Caleb Reed joked the start gave Pollorena another opportunity to excite the crowd.
“People love him and we have no idea why,” Reed sad. “We like him a lot. Don’t get me wrong, but he gets a standing ovation for everything
he does.”
Palmeiro forced to cheer for both son and alma mater Saturday
Former MSU Hall of Famer Rafael Palmeiro was in a position he didn’t want to be in Saturday.
The former Major League Baseball All-Star, who still leads MSU in career home runs with 67 in his three-year career, was forced to be unbiased in MSU’s victory against UAB. It was difficult for Palmeiro, whose son, Patrick, plays for UAB.
“That’s going to be tough, but I’m going to root for Patrick and UAB,” Rafael Palmeiro told The Birmingham News this week. “I always root for Mississippi State when they’re playing, but not against Patrick and
UAB, if they get to that point. I don’t want to root against them but, obviously, I’m going to have to. I would have liked for them to go somewhere else.”
Patrick Palmeiro, a senior third baseman and four-hole hitter, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. He likely was headed to MSU before legendary coach Ron Polk retired for the second time. He was a transfer from Grayson County College and Howard College before arriving to play at UAB for head coach Brian Shoop and Polk, a volunteer assistant coach. Rafael Palmeiro played for those two men at MSU in the 1980s.
“It was exciting, but I didn’t want to get caught up in the emotions of the stuff,” Palmeiro said. “At the same time it was really special playing Mississippi State. Both of my parents went to school there.”
Shoop was an assistant coach to Polk, his current volunteer assistant with Blazers program, when Rafael Palmerio played in Starkville. Rafael Palmeiro was in attendance at Dick Howser Stadium for both of UAB’s losses.
Rafael Palmeiro and his wife, Lynne, were the lead financial donors for the Palmeiro Center, MSU’s $3.8 million practice facility for baseball and football.
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