Mississippi State
21-4
Southern Miss
19-6
Sixth-Ranked State Run-Rules No. 11 USM
March 24, 2026 | Baseball
STARKVILLE - No. 6 Mississippi State wasted no time asserting control Tuesday night, erupting for nine runs over the first three innings and cruising to a 12-0 run-rule victory over No. 11 Southern Miss in seven innings at Dudy Noble Field.
The Diamond Dawgs (21-4) piled up 14 hits and overwhelmed the Golden Eagles early, handing Southern Miss (19-6) its most lopsided defeats of the season.
State set the tone immediately in the first inning as Aidan Teel and Ace Reese opened with back-to-back singles before Noah Sullivan worked a walk to load the bases. Gehrig Frei delivered a two-run single up the middle and Ryder Woodson followed with an RBI knock to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
MSU added another run in the second when Sullivan singled home Teel, who finished a perfect 4-for-4 night with four runs scored and two RBIs.
The Bulldogs broke the game open in the third. After Frei singled and Woodson walked, Jacob Parker launched a three-run homer down the right-field line. Two batters later, Teel blasted a two-run shot to right, stretching the lead to 9-0 and sending the crowd of 12,887 into a frenzy.
Mississippi State continued to tack on in the fourth and fifth innings. Woodson drove in another run with a single in the fourth, and Reed Stallman added a two-run single in the fifth to push the advantage to 12-0.
On the mound, the Bulldogs were just as dominant. MSU used a deep pitching staff to combine for a seven-hit shutout, striking out 12 without issuing a walk. Jack Bauer (1-0) earned his first collegiate win in relief, while starter Chris Billingsley Jr. set the tone with two scoreless innings.
Southern Miss threatened at times, collecting seven hits, but couldn't break through against the State arms and left eight runners on base.
The Golden Eagles cycled through eight pitchers but struggled to contain Mississippi State's relentless offense, with starter Thomas Crabtree taking the loss after allowing three runs in the first inning.
The Bulldogs' balanced attack featured eight different hitters recording at least one hit, while Parker (three RBIs), Frei (two RBIs) and Stallman (two RBIs) joined Teel in leading the charge.
Mississippi State will look to carry the momentum forward to Oxford this weekend where the Diamond Dogs will take on their other in-state rival, No. 18 Ole Miss, in a three-game series. First pitch at Swayze Field on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bauer, Jack (1-0)
L: Thomas Crabtree (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Davis Gillespie 1 ; Gray Eubanks 1
Base Running:
HBP: Matthew Russo 1
Batting:
HR: Teel, Aidan 1 ; Parker, Jacob 1
RBI: Teel, Aidan 2 ; Sullivan, Noah 1 ; Stallman, Reed 2 ; Frei, Gehrig 2 ; Woodson, Ryder 2 ; Parker, Jacob 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Teel, Aidan 4 ; Reese, Ace 1 ; Sullivan, Noah 1 ; Stallman, Reed 1 ; Frei, Gehrig 1 ; Woodson, Ryder 1 ; Parker, Jacob 1 ; Milewski, Kevin 1 ; Chance, Bryce 1
SB: Stallman, Reed 1 ; Frei, Gehrig 1
HBP: Stallman, Reed 1 ; Woodson, Ryder 1
