Bulldogs Southpaw Charlie Foster Leads Mississippi State to Sweep of South Carolina

Foster's career-best performance on the mound propels Mississippi State to a crucial SEC road series win.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:55pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's throwing motion, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in muted earth tones, conveying the raw power and energy of the game.Mississippi State's southpaw ace Charlie Foster delivers a career-best performance to lead his team to a crucial SEC road series sweep.Memphis Today

Sophomore southpaw Charlie Foster turned in a dominant outing, going seven-plus innings and striking out eight batters, to lead Mississippi State to a 4-3 extra-inning victory over South Carolina on Sunday. The win completed a sweep of the Gamecocks, the first time the Bulldogs have ever accomplished that feat in Columbia. Though Foster did not factor into the decision, his strong performance kept Mississippi State in the game until the bullpen could secure the victory.

Why it matters

The series sweep of South Carolina is a significant accomplishment for Mississippi State, as the Bulldogs had previously struggled to win on the road in SEC play. The victory boosts their conference record to 10-8 and keeps them in the hunt for a postseason berth. Foster's emergence as a reliable starter also provides a major boost to the Bulldogs' pitching rotation going forward.

The details

Foster struck out a career-high eight batters and worked into the eighth inning, holding South Carolina to just one run on six hits. Though he did not factor into the decision after the Gamecocks rallied to tie the game in the eighth, Foster's strong outing laid the foundation for Mississippi State's eventual extra-inning victory. First baseman Blake Bevis provided the offensive firepower with a two-run homer in the second inning, while the Bulldogs' bullpen was able to keep the game tied until Maddox Webb secured the win.

  • Foster started and went seven-plus innings on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
  • Mississippi State completed the sweep of South Carolina on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

The players

Charlie Foster

A sophomore southpaw pitcher for the Mississippi State Bulldogs who turned in a career-best performance on the mound to lead his team to a crucial SEC series sweep.

Brian O'Connor

The head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team, who praised Foster's outing as the key to the team's victory.

Blake Bevis

The first baseman for the Mississippi State Bulldogs who hit a two-run home run in the second inning to provide the offensive spark for his team.

Maddox Webb

The relief pitcher for the Mississippi State Bulldogs who earned the win after working the final 2.2 innings to secure the victory.

Ace Reese

The third baseman for the Mississippi State Bulldogs who praised Foster's outing and said the team 'put up a fight for him'.

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What they’re saying

“How we got a win was Charlie Foster. That's as good as he's pitched in our uniform.”

— Brian O'Connor, Head Coach, Mississippi State Bulldogs

“We put up a fight for him. It was a great outing and we wouldn't have been in that game if it wasn't for him.”

— Ace Reese, Third Baseman, Mississippi State Bulldogs

“In the bullpen I felt like everything was working today. It was just taking it to the mound and trusting all my stuff. And also trusting the defense behind me, they made some great plays.”

— Charlie Foster

What’s next

The Bulldogs will look to carry the momentum from their series sweep of South Carolina into a Tuesday evening matchup at Memphis, before returning home to host Kentucky this weekend.

The takeaway

Charlie Foster's dominant performance on the mound was the key to Mississippi State's crucial SEC road series victory over South Carolina. The Bulldogs' ability to complete the sweep in Columbia, a feat they had never accomplished before, demonstrates their resilience and ability to win tough games away from home - a critical skill as they continue to fight for a postseason berth.