STARKVILLE – Austin Sexton was aware of how Mississippi State lost Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader against Alabama.
He just didn’t care.
Sexton, MSU’s sophomore starter from Huntsville, Alabama, entered the eighth inning of the nightcap protecting a three-run lead. Just hours earlier, the Bulldogs had been in the same position and watched as a 5-2 lead evaporated into a 10-5 loss. In that meltdown, four MSU relievers allowed 10 straight Crimson Tide hitters to reach base in an eight-run explosion.
Sexton wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.
Facing the heart of Alabama’s order with two runners on and one out, the sophomore coaxed a flyout from cleanup hitter Casey Hughston and a line drive to short from Kyle Overstreet to escape trouble and preserve MSU’s 4-1 win.
Sexton then finished off the ninth inning for his first career complete game victory, moving to 3-0 on the season He gave up one earned run and struck out seven while issuing just one walk.
“It goes without saying but Austin Sexton absolutely went out there and did exactly what we needed him to do,” said MSU coach John Cohen. “Our bullpen in the first game really did not represent the way we think they can perform for us. We needed a strike-throw in the second game and that’s what Austin gave us.”
Sexton’s strong start saved the day for MSU, which avoided opening Southeastern Conference play with two straight losses. Instead, the Bulldogs earned a split, and the two teams will play the deciding game of the series today at 1:30 p.m.
“The coaches believed in me and had confidence in me to let me go out there and finish it,” said Sexton. “I had nine great defenders behind me and I was able to get a lot of ground balls, stay ahead of hitters. That’s usually how I have to be successful.”
The gem from Sexton was necessary after the opening game implosion.
Heading into league play having lost four of six games, the Bulldogs (16-5, 1-1) appeared ready to right the ship in the opener, as a two-run double from senior Wes Rea in the sixth inning was the key blow in lifting MSU to a 5-2 lead after seven innings.
Then the eighth happened.
Steady senior Ross Mitchell, making his team-leading 10th appearance of the season, retired the first two hitters before allowing two singles. After hitting a batter and allowing a run to score, Mitchell gave way to senior closer Trevor Fitts, who completed the meltdown by allowing the tying and go-ahead hits. When Alabama catcher Will Haynie lifted a two-out blooper over the head of shortstop Seth Heck’s head, two runs scored and Alabama had tied the game at 5-5. Alabama’s Georgie Salem would add a two-run single and Mikey White would drill a three-run home run before the bleeding could be stopped.
“Alabama walks three times per game, we gave them eight walks,” said Cohen. “We kept putting guys on base, kept giving them free bases. Eventually they broke through. You can’t pitch like that. That’s why Austin throwing strikes was so important in the second game
Having seemingly learned a lesson in the first game, Cohen stuck with Sexton in Game 2, leading to the complete game win.
“Playing behind Austin was fun tonight,” said MSU left fielder Jake Vickerson, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. “We weren’t really worried about what happened in the first game. Those things happen and we completely trust those guys in the bullpen to do their job. But the way Austin was throwing it, he didn’t need much help.”
While the bullpen failed to protect MSU’s lead in the opener, the Bulldogs’ offense didn’t help much. With Rea’s RBI double the exception, the Bulldogs struggled mightily with runners on base, stranding 15 runners in nine innings. The Bulldogs went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. In MSU’s five losses this season, the Bulldog offense is averaging 3.5 runs per game, as opposed to 7.3 in MSU’s 16 wins.
Those setbacks with runners on base continued Saturday night, as MSU stranded 13 more on base, a total of 28 in two games.
But thanks to hitters like Cody Brown, who doubled twice, and Vickerson, MSU managed enough offense to salvage the split.
Brown doubled off the wall in right field in the first inning and laced an RBI double in the third.
“Cody is really swinging the bat well right now,” said Cohen. “There in the fourth he got the big hit, something we’ve been needing.”
At the plate in a scoreless game with no outs and two on in the third, Brown squared to bunt, then unleashed his double, a screamer past the first base bag.
“Coach told me that if they charged the bunt, go ahead and pull back and see what kind of swing I could put on it,” said Brown. “They did and I made good contact.”
While Brown and Vickerson led MSU’s eight-hit offensive attack, the nightcap belonged to Sexton, who struck out five of the first six Alabama hitters he faced. The lone Alabama run was a solo home run by Hughston in the top of the sixth.
“I was locked in,” said Sexton. “Just trying to hit my spots and get outs.”
For Cohen, the win was satisfying. But the sting of the earlier loss remained.
“Honestly I’m disappointed we aren’t 2-0 right now and I think our team is disappointed that we’re not 2-0 right now,” said Cohen. “But the guys did a good job of shaking that off.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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