No. 11 Bulldogs too much for Jackrabbits

Saturday, February 20

Starkville, Miss.

12:00 PM

South Dakota State University

0-2

Mississippi State

1-1

South Dakota State

Mississippi State

2/20/2016 5:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Eleventh-ranked Mississippi State scored runs in bunches to defeat South Dakota State, 17-4, in college baseball action Saturday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs, who evened their record at 1-1, led 5-0 through two innings after scoring three times in the first inning and twice in the second against SDSU starter Landon Busch. Brent Rooker and Gavin Collins delivered back-to-back run-scoring doubles to open the scoring and Ryan Gridley added an RBI single later in the first inning. Jack Kruger plated the first run of the second frame with a double.

SDSU got on the board with two runs in the top of the third. The Jackrabbits loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles by Phil Velez, Luke Ringhofer and Jesse Munsterman. Instead of turning a double play on a grounder off the bat of Matt Johnson, both Velez and Ringhofer scored on an errant throw.

After Mississippi State scored a run in the third, the Bulldogs put the game away with a seven-run fourth inning against SDSU reliever Austin Kost in which the Bulldogs sent 13 men to the plate. Kruger, who was 3-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored, delivered his second run-scoring double of the game as one of the Bulldogs' six hits in the inning.

The Jackrabbits added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Newt Johnson scored Jesse Munsterman with a sacrifice fly for the fifth-inning run and Matt Johnson drove in Velez with a single for the run in the sixth.

Munsterman was 3-for-4, while Velez, Matt Johnson and Cody Sharrow each collected two hits. All 13 of the Jackrabbits' hits were singles.

Collins added three hits for Mississippi State, which tallied 17 hits in the game, including seven doubles.

Busch took the loss for the Jackrabbits in his SDSU debut. The junior left-hander walked four and struck out two over three innings. Derringer Huff struck out two and allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief and fellow Joe Erickson finished with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Mississippi State starter Daniel Brown struck out seven and walked two, but was pulled one out shy of qualifying for the win. Keegan James allowed one run over the final 4 1/3 innings to be credited with the win.

SDSU and Mississippi State will meet again at 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon in the weekend finale. The Jackrabbits open play Sunday with a 10:30 a.m. matchup against Florida Atlantic.

#11 MISSISSIPPI STATE 17, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 4
SDSU 002 011 000 4-13-1
MSU 321 720 20X 17-17-1
SDSU: Landon Busch, Austin Kost (4), Derringer Huff (5), Joe Erickson (7) and Luke Ringhofer, Ian Cote (8). MSU: Daniel Brown, Keegan James (5) and Josh Lovelady.
W-James (1-0). L-Busch (0-1). Save-none.
HR: none.

South Dakota State first baseman/designated hitter Dayton Franke makes solid contact while batting against Nebraska in action March 4, 2026. Franke is pictured swinging a yellow bat while wearing a gray uniform and blue batting helmet.

JACKRABBITS FALL AGAIN AT ORU

Sunday, March 15

South Dakota State right-handed pitcher Sam Schlecht goes through his motion as he sends a pitch to home plate in action March 7, 2026, against Minnesota.

ORU RALLIES IN EIGHTH FOR SECOND STRAIGHT DAY

Saturday, March 14

South Dakota State right-handed pitcher Drew McDowell gets ready to throw a pitch home in action March 6, 2026, against Northwestern in action at the Cambria Classic played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SDSU AGAIN COMES UP ONE RUN SHORT

Friday, March 13

South Dakota State baseball players huddle for a pregame prayer prior to their March 8, 2026, game against Southern Illinois as part of the Cambria Classic played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

JACKRABBITS OPEN SUMMIT LEAGUE SEASON AT ORU

Thursday, March 12

Next Event

Florida Atlantic

L, 2-4

Feb 21 (Sun)

10:30 AM

Box Score Recap Stats Notes History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Keegan James (1-0)

L: Busch, Landon (0-1)

South Dakota State

Batting:

RBI: Johnson, Matt 2 ; Johnson, Newt 1

SF: Johnson, Newt 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Velez, Phil 2 ; Ringhofer, Luke 1 ; Munsterman, Jesse 1

HBP: Velez, Phil 1 ; Jacobson, Philip 1 ; Johnson, Newt 1

PO: Jacobson, Paul 1

Mississippi State

Batting:

2B: Jack Kruger 2 ; Brent Rooker 1 ; G Collins 1 ; Cole Gordon 1 ; R Humphreys 1 ; John Holland 1

RBI: Jacob Robson 1 ; M Smith 1 ; Jack Kruger 4 ; Brent Rooker 3 ; G Collins 1 ; H Stovall 1 ; N Lowe 1 ; R Humphreys 1 ; Ryan Gridley 2 ; L Alexander 1 ; J Lovelady 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Jacob Robson 1 ; Jack Kruger 4 ; Brent Rooker 2 ; G Collins 2 ; N Lowe 2 ; R Humphreys 1 ; Cody Brown 1 ; Ryan Gridley 1 ; L Alexander 1 ; J Lovelady 1 ; Elih Marrero 1