Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Take Out Troy

Tuesday, February 17

Starkville

4 p.m.

Mississippi State

4-0

Troy

1-3

Troy

Mississippi State

Photo by: Will Porada/MSU Athletics

Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Take Out Troy

February 17, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score O'Connor Press Conference Player Press Conference

By: Logan Lowery, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE - Fourth-ranked Mississippi State erupted for four runs in the first inning and never looked back Tuesday night, rolling to a 13-7 victory over Troy at Dudy Noble Field.

The Diamond Dawgs (4-0) pounded out 16 hits, including a 5-for-5 night at the plate for Ace Reese, to remain unbeaten while handing the Trojans (1-3) an early deficit they could not overcome.

MSU wasted little time setting the tone. James Nunnallee singled to open the bottom of the first and later scored on Aidan Teel's RBI double to right. Vytas Valincius followed with a two-run single to left, and Gehrig Frei capped the four-run outburst with an RBI triple to left-center as State sent nine batters to the plate.

The Bulldogs struck again in the second with three more runs. Ryder Woodson doubled home a run before Reese launched a two-run homer to center, stretching the lead to 7-0.

MSU's offense wasn't finished. Chone James crushed his first-career homer – a two-run shot to left - in the fifth frame to make it 9-1.

State kept the pressure on in the sixth. Reese doubled and later scored on Valincius' two-run double down the right-field line. Jacob Parker chipped in an RBI in his college debut as the Bulldogs built a commanding 13-3 advantage.

Reese finished a perfect 5-for-5 and a triple short of the cycle with three RBIs to pace the MSU lineup. Valincius went 3-for-3 with four RBIs while James and Blake Bevis each had two hits.

Duke Stone worked four innings in the start, allowing one run on one hit with six strikeouts and no walks. William Kirk (1-0) earned the win in relief, striking out three over two innings. Chris Billingsley Jr., Jack Gleason, Jack Bauer and Maddox Webb combined to close out the final frames as MSU used six pitchers on the night.

Troy collected 10 hits and committed two errors.

MSU continues its homestand on Wednesday with Alcorn State at 4 p.m. on SEC Network+. The Braves (1-2) are set to start junior left-hander Caden Wade while the Diamond Dawgs have yet to release their pitching plans.

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