Baseball Blanks Ole Miss for Series-Opening Win

Friday, May 10

Oxford, Miss.

7:30 PM

Mississippi State

40-10, 16-9

#11 Ole Miss

32-18, 15-10

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

Baseball Blanks Ole Miss for Series-Opening Win

May 11, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Allen delivers both RBIs, Small and Liebelt combine on a six-hit shutout

OXFORD, Miss. – After waiting through a two-hour rain delay to start the game and a 30-minute fog delay in the sixth inning, the No. 5 Mississippi State baseball team came away with a 2-0 series-opening victory over No. 11 Ole Miss on Friday (May 10) at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

Mississippi State (40-10, 16-9 SEC) opened the scoring with a run in the second inning, before adding one in the fifth. Ole Miss (32-18, 15-10 SEC) was shut out for the first time all season.

Redshirt-junior Ethan Small (7-1) used 82 pitches to complete his five innings and posted his 10th career double-digit strikeout performance with 10 strikeouts on the night. His 10 strikeouts on the night moved his season total to 132, which ranks No. 6 on the single season list, passing Chris Stratton (127; 2012). His career total now sits at 274, which moves him into No. 4 on the career list. In the game he passed Mike Proffitt (265; 1969-72), Matt Ginter (269; 1996-99), B.J. Wallace (271; 1990-92) and Paul Maholm (273; 2001-03).

Small allowed three hits and walked one batter to earn his third-straight win and sixth overall in SEC play, before leaving following the fog delay. Senior Jared Liebelt came on in the sixth inning and fired the final four innings to earn his fifth save of the season. He allowed three hits and struck out two in the career-high four-inning effort.

Sophomore Tanner Allen delivered both RBIs in the game, as he plated the first run of the game with a double in the third inning and pushed the second run across with an RBI single in the fifth. Junior Gunner Halter and sophomore Jordan Westburg each scored one run in the game, with Westburg reaching base three times in the contest.

Quotable
Head Coach Chris Lemonis
On Ethan Small and Jared Liebelt
"[Ole Miss] is one of the best offensive lineups in the country and I thought Jared [Liebelt] and Ethan [Small] both pitched great. [Liebelt] probably got extended [a little bit in the eighth inning], after he had those couple short innings in there."

On Tanner Allen
"In two-strike at-bats and falling behind, [Tanner] fought his way back. Their arm [Will Ethridge] is a really good arm, too. We were having a hard time getting good swings off of him. Just to give us a little cushion both times, they were some really good swings."

Quick Hitters
Mississippi State
Ethan Small – Moved into No. 4 on the career strikeouts list with 10 in the game, marking his ninth 10-plus strikeout game of the year and moving his career total to 274. Worked five shutout innings before leaving the game following the 30-minute fog delay. Scattered three hits and one walk to earn the victory.
Jared Liebelt – Threw a career-high four innings to earn his fifth save of the season. Struck out two.
Tanner Allen – Totaled three hits and drove in both RBIs.
Jake Mangum – Doubled to move his hitting streak to nine games and mark his 68th career double.
Jordan Westburg – Reached base three times and scored a run. Had two hits and walked once.

Ole Miss
Will Etheridge – Threw six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Walked two and struck out four.
Grae Kessinger – Chipped in two hits.

Scoring Recap
Bottom Third
With two outs in the inning, Jordan Westburg singled and Tanner Allen followed with an RBI double to right field.
Mississippi State 1, Ole Miss 0

Bottom Fifth
After Gunner Halter started the inning with a single, Marshall Gilbert moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. A Jake Mangum groundout pushed Halter to third, before Westburg walked. Allen delivered his second RBI of the night with another two-out hit.
Mississippi State 2, Ole Miss 0

Up Next
The Bulldogs and Rebels will meet at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, before the series finale is slated for Sunday, May 12 at Noon on ESPN2. Both games will be available via the Mississippi State Radio Network, with Saturday's game also on. SEC Network+.