No. 4 Diamond Dawgs Defeat Arizona State 8-4 in Middle Innings Breakthrough

Mississippi State scores four runs in the fifth inning to pull away from the Sun Devils in the Amegy College Baseball Series opener.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 8:52pm

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In a pitcher's duel between Mississippi State's Ryan McPherson and Arizona State's Cole Carlon, the Bulldogs' bats came alive in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-0 lead. The Bulldogs would go on to win 8-4, with a three-run home run from pinch hitter Gehrig Frei and RBI singles from Bryce Chance and Chone James breaking the game open.

Why it matters

This early-season matchup between two top-25 teams provides an important test for both squads as they look to build momentum heading into conference play. The Bulldogs' ability to break through against a tough lefty starter and get production from their bench players is a positive sign for their depth and resilience.

The details

Neither starting pitcher allowed a hit through the first four innings, but the Bulldogs broke through in the fifth. Bryce Chance's RBI single opened the scoring, and Gehrig Frei followed with a three-run homer off reliever Josh Butler to make it 4-0. Mississippi State added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Chone James and a pinch-hit RBI by Reed Stallman. The Sun Devils scored three late runs but could not overcome the Bulldogs' big inning.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 27, 2026.
  • The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead.

The players

Ryan McPherson

The Mississippi State starting pitcher who went 7.0 innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 run while striking out 5.

Cole Carlon

The Arizona State starting pitcher who was dominant early before leaving the game in the fifth inning due to cramps.

Gehrig Frei

The Mississippi State pinch hitter who hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to break the game open.

Bryce Chance

The Mississippi State player who hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to open the scoring for the Bulldogs.

Chone James

The Mississippi State player who hit a two-run single in the sixth inning to extend the Bulldogs' lead.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, runners in scoring position, you don't want to do too much. He left (the pitch) up, and I saw it was a good pitch to hit. I just come to work prepared every day because you have to be ready every single day.”

— Gehrig Frei, Mississippi State Player

“I felt good. Felt really good with my fastball command, my changeup and other offspeeds. Just really trusted my defense out there and was able to pitch how I wanted to and they would be behind me.”

— Ryan McPherson, Mississippi State Pitcher

“Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in him because we put him in with a lead against a really good ball club. He'll learn. He gave up a couple of home runs there but he's a young kid that's certainly really talented. The changeup is elite and he's got a very good fastball. Today is a really good growth opportunity for him. But we have a full bullpen going into (Saturday).”

— Brian O'Connor, Mississippi State Head Coach

What’s next

The two teams will play the second game of their series on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 3 PM.

The takeaway

Mississippi State's ability to break through against a tough opposing starter and get production from their bench players shows the depth and resilience of this Bulldogs squad, which will be an important asset as they look to contend for a top ranking and postseason berth this season.