Postgame press conference
Postgame quotes
Photo gallery
Box score
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Ross Mitchell tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings in relief, and the Bulldogs used a four-run fifth inning to knock off second-seeded University of South Alabama baseball 6-2 Saturday in a winner’s bracket game in the NCAA Starkville Regional at Dudy Noble Field.
Mitchell (12-0) allowed just four hits, and struck out five without issuing a walk in relief of Bulldog southpaw Luis Pollorena to earn his 12th win of the season. Pollorena allowed two runs on four hits and walked one in 3 2/3 innings.
Jaguar right-hander Matt Bell (6-2) suffered the loss in 6 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Hunter Soleymani tossed two shutout innings in relief, and allowed just one hit while striking out two.
South Alabama (43-19) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Jaguars loaded the bases with one out on three consecutive singles from Nick Zaharion, Nolan Earley and Dustin Dalken. Robby Campbell followed with an RBI fielder’s choice that plated Zaharion to give USA a 1-0 lead. Drew Cofield followed with an RBI single to right-center field to double the Jag lead to 2-0.
But Mississippi State (45-17) answered in the top of the fifth with four runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Bulldogs loaded the bases on walks by Nick Ammirati and Alex Detz, and a single from Adam Frazier. Hunter Renfroe then reached on an infield single to third base to score Ammirati and cut the Jaguar lead in half. Brett Pirtle followed with a two-run single to right field that gave MSU a 3-2 lead. One batter later, Wes Rea doubled the Bulldog lead with an RBI single back up the middle.
The Bulldogs added the final two runs of the game in the top of the seventh on a two-out, two-run single to left field by C.T. Bradford.
Dalken went 2-for-4 to lead USA at the plate, while Cofield and Campbell added a hit and an RBI apiece. Detz finished 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Bulldogs offensively.
South Alabama will return to action Sunday when it faces fourth-seeded Central Arkansas in an elimination game at 2 p.m. The winner will face Mississippi State at 7 p.m. Sunday evening. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and can be accessed at ESPN3.com.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
NOTES: Nolan Earley passed Marlon Anderson for seventh on the career hits list with his 219th career hit … Dalken has two multiple-hit games in as many contests at the Regional.
