Three separate weather delays could not cool off Mississippi State’s pitching, which continued its form from a weekend ago. Ethan Small and Jared Liebelt combined on a six hit shutout, as the Bulldogs took game one from Ole Miss 2-0 in Oxford Friday night. State got 2 RBIs from Tanner Allen, who has been the hottest hitter for the Diamond Dawgs as late, and that was enough to capture the series opener. State improves to 40-10, 16-9 in the SEC, and the second team in the country to hit the forty win mark.
SMALL CONTINUES TO PITCH BIG
🔟 Ks for the lanky lefty
Ethan Small has thrown 10+ strikeouts in nine games this season.#HailState🐶 | @E7hanS pic.twitter.com/TcLlmvBVmx
— Mississippi State Baseball ⚾️ (@HailStateBB) May 11, 2019
Only the weather could stop Ethan Small, who had to leave the game after five shutout innings as a fog delay forced a thirty minute wait between innings. Small continues to make his case for SEC Pitcher of the Year, moving to 7-1 on the season, with 132 K’s to 19 BB. Outside of a sixth inning slip up at Arkansas, Small has basically been untouchable all season, and is a big reason the Bulldogs find themselves well positioned to claim a top 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
LEAVE LIEBS IN
End 8 | Rebels lead off the frame with back-to-back singles, but Liebelt gets a K and a double play to end the threat.#HailState🐶 | State 2, Ole Miss 0 pic.twitter.com/hUEoCsqhSF
— Mississippi State Baseball ⚾️ (@HailStateBB) May 11, 2019
You don’t see many four out saves any more, but Jared Liebelt simply picked up where Ethan Small left off when play resumed in the bottom of the sixth. Liebelt has turned into State’s most reliable long reliever, and his performance sets MSU to be able to have some flexibility with the bullpen the rest of the weekend.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Final in Oxford, Mississippi State shuts out Ole Miss 2-0. Small and Liebelt combine for a six hitter after weather delays on top of weather delays. Game 2 scheduled for tomorrow at 6 PM, JT Ginn on the mound for the Bulldogs.
— Brian Hadad (@brianhadad) May 11, 2019
Mississippi State will look to take the series tomorrow, assuming the weather holds up. First pitch is scheduled for 6 PM, and it will be a battle of two of the best freshmen in the conference, as State’s JT Ginn will face off with Ole Miss lefty Doug Nikhazy. A series win would all but seal up a national seed for MSU, while the Rebels would like to set up a rubber game to remain in the thick of the hosting discussion. Tune in to hear Jim Ellis on your local SuperTalk affiliate to catch all the action.
Picture courtesy of Mississippi State athletics
