Baseball Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 22, 2006
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY – Athletic Media Relations
Contact: Tony Schmidt (662) 325-0968, (662) 312-4251

NO. 1 DIAMOND DOGS TOP JACKSONVILLE STATE 6-1 TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 17

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State’s season-opening win streak moved to 17 games with a 6-1 win over Jacksonville State on Wednesday night at Dudy Noble Field/Polk DeMent Stadium.

With the win, State will now take its string of wins to Baton Rouge, La. to face off with the LSU Tigers in a three-game series that begins Friday, March 24. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Alex Box Stadium.

“It’s nice to go to Baton Rouge with 17 wins, said MSU head coach Ron Polk. “We put some runs together late. Rutledge’s (Michael) hit was key in the seventh.”

Both teams scratched the scoreboard in the opening frame and remained in a 1-1 deadlock until MSU added a run its half of the sixth inning. Pinch hitter Matt Richardson led off the inning with a walk and eventually scored on a JSU fielding error by the Gamecock first baseman Allen Rose.

MState extended its lead in the seventh to 4-1 on Michael Rutledge’s two-out double to left to score Joseph Hunter and Joseph McCaskill. The Maroon and White added insurance runs in the eighth with Bunky Kaeton scoring on a wild pitch and Thomas Berkery coming across the plate on Brian LaNinfa’s two-bagger.

Starkville, Miss. pitching product Jesse Carver notched his first win in a Bulldog uniform with his one inning of work. Carver relieved starter Jon Crosby, who went five solid innings. The Gamecock’s Ton Dinkard suffered the loss.

“It was very exciting to get the win tonight,” said Jesse Carver. “We have a solid line up, so we knew we were going to get some runs.”

All three games this weekend against LSU can be heard on MSU’s statewide baseball radio network or by logging on to State’s official athletic web site www.MStateAthletics.com and follow the link to Maroon to the Max.

State’s next non-conference activity will be next Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28 and 29, hosting the Panthers of Birmingham Southern. Tuesday’s game is set for 6:30 p.m.

- www.mstateathletics.com -