No. 17 Mississippi State moved one step closer to the regional championship on Saturday, downing No. 24 Cincinnati 10-5 in the winner’s bracket of the Starkville Regional.
Key moments from the Starkville Regional
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Ace Reese launched a solo homer, but the game remained tightly contested until the fifth.
A three-run fifth inning broke the deadlock, and Mississippi State added four more runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to pull away.
Veteran left-hander Tomas Valincius delivered 7 1/3 innings of work, striking out 10 batters and earning his 11th win of the season.
Reed Stallman was the offensive catalyst, driving in three runs and notching two doubles, while the lineup contributed multiple extra-base hits.
Relief efforts from the bullpen kept Cincinnati at bay, and Ryan McPherson is slated to start on the mound for the Bulldogs in Sunday’s final.
With a 2-0 record in the regional after a 10-1 victory over Lipscomb on Friday, Mississippi State needs just one more win to claim the Starkville title.
The Bulldogs will await the winner of the Cincinnati-Louisiana matchup, setting up a showdown that could determine the regional champion.