Rooker Explodes For Three Home Runs, State Evens Series With No. 13 Kentucky

Saturday, April 8

Starkville

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

21-12, 0

#15 Kentucky

22-10, 0

Kentucky

Mississippi State

Brent Rooker now has 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 2017.

Rooker Explodes For Three Home Runs, State Evens Series With No. 13 Kentucky

April 08, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – A grand slam by Brent Rooker highlighted a six-run second inning as No. 22 Mississippi State beat No. 13 Kentucky 10-6 in a Southeastern Conference baseball game Saturday night at Dudy Noble Field.

Rooker had four total hits, hit three home runs and drove in six runs to delight a Super Bulldog Weekend crowd of 13,691.

MSU (21-12, 7-4 SEC) will be attempting to win a conference series for a third straight weekend.

"This was a really a big win for us," head coach Andy Cannizaro said. "The second inning was special. Kentucky has such an outstanding offensive team. I am really proud of how we battled for nine innings. You always want to go to Sunday with a chance to win a series.

"Kentucky has a veteran team. They have been through these battles in the SEC. The lineup is full of good left-handed hitters. I am proud of the effort of the pitching staff. You just have to battle when you face them. You have to keep fighting. We were down (Friday night) but came back strong and this was a gigantic win."

Cole Gordon drew the start and worked four innings. After being touched for three runs in the UK first inning, Gordon finished strong, allowing four hits and three runs (all earned), with six strikeouts and three walks. Jacob Barton and Peyton Plumlee the pitched. Plumlee (4-1) threw two innings of one-hit shutout ball to get the win.

Denver McQuary followed before giving way to Riley Self, who struck out the side and worked around a two-run double in the UK ninth inning.

Kentucky (22-10, 8-3) took an early lead with three runs in the first, but that would end soon thereafter.

After grabbing the 6-3 lead in the second inning, the Bulldogs got insurance runs on solo home runs from Rooker in the fourth and sixth innings, giving him 14 home runs and 56 RBIs for the season. Ryan Gridley added a two-run single in the eighth inning.

"What can you say about Brent Rooker," Cannizaro said. "Our fans are getting to watch the best hitter in the nation. Brent made himself so much stronger in the off-season. Right now, he is hitting the ball to every part of the field. He was such a key for us tonight. Each night, he just sets the tone.

"This weekend, our program is really on the center stage of college baseball. People are talking about the crowds and the atmosphere. That is why tonight was important. This was the type of game you keep talking about. You come back the next day and want to see this team play again."

The Bulldogs finished with 13 hits. Gridley, Cody Brown and Hunter Stovall each had multiple hits.

The series between the Bulldogs and Wildcats will conclude on Sunday at Dudy Noble with first pitch set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will air live on SEC Network+ via WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.

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