March 6, 2015 Box Score
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The University of San Diego baseball team stunned No. 7 Mississippi State University Friday afternoon with a 2-1 win in the series opener.
With the win, the Toreros have now won three consecutive games, all against top-10 teams, and improve to 5-6 overall. With the loss, the Bulldogs fall to 13-2 overall.
USD got on the scoreboard first, as in the top of the second inning they scored one run on no hits. Jesse Jenner got things started when he was hit by a pitch, and he then stole second. After Hunter Mercado-Hood walked, Jenner moved to third on a passed ball. Mercado-Hood then stole second, and Jenner came home on a wild pitch to give USD a 1-0 lead.
USD then doubled its lead in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Colton Waltner singled, and back-to-back walks to Mercado-Hood and Ryan Kirby loaded the bases. A wild pitch then scored Waltner from third to give USD the 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs then cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the eighth inning. The MSU run came on a Seth Heck RBI single up the middle, which scored Cody Brown, who had walked, to move the score to 2-1.
The Bulldogs then were looking for a ninth inning rally, and had the tying runner 90 feet away with two outs, but Anthony McIver got Ryan Gridley to pop out, to give the Toreros the 2-1 win.
Offensively for the Toreros, Kirby led the way, as he went a perfect 2-for-2 with one walk.
David Hill (2-2) was masterful on the mound for the Toreros, as he allowed no runs on four hits, while striking out six in 7.0 innings of work. McIver picked up the save for USD, as he allowed no runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. Preston Brown (3-1) was saddled with the loss for the Bulldogs, as he allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of work.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday, as they resume this three-game series with the Bulldogs. First pitch is schedule for 12 p.m.
