FROM VARIOUS REPORTS
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Starkville Regional opened with two decisive blowouts on Friday at Dudy Noble Field, as the host Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Cincinnati Bearcats secured their spots in the winner’s bracket. Postgame quotes from players and coaches for both contests were not available in the official records.
Game 1: Mississippi State 10, Lipscomb 1 In the regional opener, Mississippi State broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. Right fielder Jacob Parker delivered an RBI single to score third baseman Ace Reese, and first baseman Reed Stallman followed with a two-run single to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Parker added a solo home run in the sixth. The Bulldogs blew the game open with a five-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run double from left fielder Vytas Valincius and a two-run single by catcher Kevin Milewski. Second baseman Gehrig Frei capped the Bulldogs’ scoring with a solo home run in the eighth. Lipscomb’s lone run came in the ninth on an RBI single by designated hitter Blake Carter.
Leading the offense for Mississippi State, Parker finished 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, while Valincius went 3-for-4 with two doubles. For Lipscomb, third baseman Cam Pruitt went 2-for-4 with a double. Parker’s RBI single in the fourth served as the decisive game-winning hit.
On the mound, Mississippi State starter Duke Stone (7-3) earned the victory, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out 10 without a walk. Lipscomb starter A. Llinas (6-5) took the loss after surrendering six earned runs in 6.0 innings. There was no save recorded.
The game was played in front of 10,470 fans in 83-degree, partly cloudy weather, lasting 2 hours and 41 minutes.
Game 2: Cincinnati 12, Louisiana 2 Cincinnati dominated the nightcap, fueled by a historic performance from catcher Jack Natili, who went 4-for-5 with three home runs, a double, and five RBIs.
Louisiana struck first in the top of the first when center fielder Noah Lewis scored on an outfield error following a single by second baseman Lee Amedee. Cincinnati answered with Natili’s solo homer in the second, before exploding for five runs in the fourth. Designated hitter Enzo Infelise hit a two-run home run, third baseman Christian Mitchelle laced an RBI triple to score pinch-runner Luke Sefcik, and shortstop Charlie Niehaus added a two-run homer.
Right fielder Ryan Tyranski and Natili launched home runs in the fifth, and first baseman Quinton Coats added an RBI single scoring second baseman Jackson Smith in the sixth. Louisiana pinch-hitter Maddox Mandino hit an RBI single scoring right fielder Donovan LaSalle in the seventh, but Natili answered with a final two-run blast in the eighth. Infelise’s two-run home run in the fourth served as the game-winning hit.
Cincinnati starter Nathan Taylor (7-3) took the win, allowing one unearned run on two hits over 6.0 innings with three strikeouts. Louisiana starter Cody Brasch (6-3) suffered the loss, allowing seven earned runs over 4.0 innings. No save was recorded.
The night game drew 8,662 fans and lasted 2 hours and 54 minutes in 78-degree, partly cloudy weather.
Records and Tournament Status Mississippi State improves to 41-17, and Cincinnati moves to 38-20; both advance in the tournament’s winner’s bracket at 8PM CT Saturday. Lipscomb falls to 29-25, and Louisiana drops to 39-24; both move to the elimination bracket and play at 3 PM CT Saturday.
This was created with AI assistance using content provided by the StatBroadcast, and edited for content and accuracy by the webmaster.
