STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s bats connected with nothing but air for the majority of Friday’s weekend series opener against Oregon State at Dudy Noble Field.
Then, everything changed on two at-bats. On two pitches, actually.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning with the bases loaded, MSU second baseman Justin Foscue played hero with a first-pitch, two-RBI single down the left field line to tie the contest. On the next pitch, left fielder Brandon Pimentel took a low-and-in fastball and deposited a souvenir into right field, crushing a ball 372 feet for a three-run bomb that was the go-ahead hit in the Bulldogs’ 6-2 victory over the Beavers (2-3).
“I had a feeling it was out,” Pimentel said of his home run.
It was a “welcome to the show” moment for OSU freshman reliever Will Frisch, who let in five runs on his first two pitches (but was only charged for two).
“When you have our offense, we always have a chance,” MSU coach Chris Lemonis said. “We just kept competing. Even our bullpen helped keep it close. Our guys stepped up late.”
Through the first seven innings, the Bulldogs (4-0) scoring six runs seemed unfathomable. MSU struck out 16 times as a team in a lineup that was without Tanner Allen and was befuddled by OSU starter Christian Chamberlain. The 5-foot-10 left-hander consistently sat at 92-94 mph and topped out at 95 mph with his fastball. His assortment of breaking pitches led to 12 strikeouts in the first five frames, and he struck out the side in the third inning.
“(Our strikeouts were) mostly from Chamberlain’s stuff,” Lemonis said. “We got a little too big, trying to do a little too much, but it was because of his stuff. I think we saw, that’s first-round stuff. He was really good.”
Chamberlain pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks on 90 pitches.
“The strikeouts were kind of purposeful,” Lemonis said. “We were trying to run his pitch count up. We just kept striking out trying to get him out of the game early. At least, that’s what Rowdey (Jordan) tells me.”
Mississippi State countered with Carlisle Koestler, who was forced into action with ace JT Ginn missing the series after experiencing arm soreness throughout the week. Making his first start at Dudy Noble Field, Koestler served as an admirable replacement, albeit in a short stint. He delivered three scoreless innings, walking two and allowing two hits while striking out four batters on 68 pitches.
“It was better than I expected,” Koestler said of his outing. “The fans were really into the game; it was really fun.”
Landon Sims was the first Mississippi State pitcher on in relief and allowed the first run of the contest, as OSU shortstop Andy Armstrong delivered a two-out RBI single through the middle to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Sims allowed one run in two innings of work while also striking out three Oregon State batters.
David Dunlavey picked up the win for MSU in relief, throwing three innings of one-run ball while striking out two batters.
“It was kind of hard to pitch today, because it was hard to throw breaking balls,” Lemonis said. “David was a big surprise for us being able to spin his breaking ball today. I thought he pitched really well.”
A single from Jordan, a double by Jordan Westburg and a walk from Josh Hatcher in the eighth set the stage for Foscue’s heroics. After Pimentel’s bomb, Kamren James scored on a wild pitch for MSU’s sixth run on the contest.
Spencer Price closed out the game for MSU in a scoreless ninth inning.
“He’s been really good for us in spring training, he was good last weekend, and he was good today,” Lemonis said of Price.
MSU continues its series against Oregon State at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dudy Noble Field.
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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