STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State's Jake Vickerson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead the No. 7 Bulldogs to a 6-2 victory over Holy Cross in non-conference baseball action on Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field. With the win, Mississippi State improves to 3-2 overall, while the Crusaders begin the 2014 campaign at 0-1.
After a scoreless first frame for Holy Cross, the Bulldogs struck for two runs in the bottom half of the inning to gain the 2-0 lead. Holy Cross pushed across a run in the top of the fourth, as junior outfielder Evan Ocello (Camarillo, Calif.) scored on an RBI-single by sophomore catcher Connor Perry (Haverhill, Mass.) to make the score 2-1.
Mississippi State tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 3-1, but the Crusaders responded in the top half of the sixth inning. With two outs, senior outfielder Brandon Cipolla (Abington, Mass.) lined a double down the left-field line. During the next at bat, Cipolla moved over to third on a passed ball and scored on an error by the pitcher to slice the deficit to 3-2. The Bulldogs, however, added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and added its final run of the game in the seventh to make the score its final, 6-2.
Mississippi State starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff earned the victory (1-1), as he tossed 5.2 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits, while striking out three. Bulldog reliever Myles Gentry recorded his first save of the season with 3.1 scoreless innings to go along with five punchouts. Holy Cross senior starter Nate Walker (San Diego, Calif.) was charged with the loss (0-1), as he allowed two runs and three hits in one inning pitched. The Crusaders used a total of nine pitchers in the contest.
Perry went 1-for-2 at the dish with one RBI, while Cipolla, sophomore shortstop Nick Lovullo (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and junior designated hitter Jack St. Clair (Newton, Mass.) all recorded a hit. The Bulldogs had 10 base-knocks in the contest, compared to four for the Crusaders.
Mississippi State and Holy Cross will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 22, as the two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
