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The Mississippi St. Bulldogs were a team on a mission in the first inning. The Bulldogs struck for four runs in the first inning and 13 hits in the first four innings, leading them to victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas, 7-2.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Mississippi State scored its first two runs on a two-run double to right field, and added two more on a seeing eye single up the middle of the infield to give themselves a four run advantage before the Chippewas came up to bat.
Starting pitcher Cam Brown bounced back in the second inning, holding the Bulldogs scoreless, but the Central Michigan offense was unable to push across a run until the bottom of the sixth, when second basemen Jason Sullivan sent a ball over the right field wall to trim the Mississippi State lead to four, 6-2.
Neither team was able to get much more offense on the board, but the Bulldogs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a home run over the right field wall. The Chippewas finished with two runs on six hits and two errors in the game, while Mississippi State finished with seven runs on 16 hits and no errors.
With the loss, Central Michigan will face off against the Miami-Florida Hurricanes in a rematch of game one in the regional on the NCAA College World Series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. eastern time at Dudy Noble Field, with the loser done for the season and the winner moving on to face off against Mississippi State. The winner of the elimination game will need to defeat the Bulldogs twice to have a chance to survive and advance.
Zach Gilles collected two hits in five plate appearances. Sullivan had two hits including his two-run homerun, while Chase Rollin and Zavier Warren both added a hit apiece. Warren also walked three times for the Chippewas in the game.
Cameron Brown earns the loss, allowing 13 hits and six earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched. Grant Frazier, Logan Buczkowski and Cameron Miller held down the Bulldogs, allowing three hits, a walk and one earned run while striking out six in the final 6.2 innings.