College World Series Game 2 Recap

 

2021 College World Series - Game 2

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State

In a win or go home game, Mississippi State scored early and often to beat Vanderbilt 13-2 and set up a winner take all game Wednesday night for the 2021 College World Series title.

Mississippi State got on top early again, getting a run in the bottom of the 1st inning on an RBI single to right by Luke Hancock, scoring Kamren James.  Vanderbilt came back to tie it up in the top of the next inning with a home run to left from CJ Rodriguez.  But unlike Game 1, the Bulldogs kept putting runs on the board tonight.

In the bottom of the 3rd inning Tanner Allen started it off with an infield single.  Consecutive walks to James and Hancock loaded the bases with no outs.  Another walk, this time to Logan Tanner, scored Allen from 3rd and ended the night for Vanderbilt starting pitcher Christian Little.  Patrick Reilly came on in relief and didn't fare much better.  Scotty Dubrule greeted him with an infield single to second that scored both James and Hancock.  Two outs later, Dubrule came in to score on a wild pitch, making the score 5-1.

Mississippi State added another run in the 4th on an RBI ground out from Dubrule.  They added 2 more runs in the 5th inning.  Lane Forsythe reached on a 1 out infield single to third base.  After a flyout to right, Tanner Allen singled, moving Forsythe to third.  A Kamren James single to center scored Forsythe and one batter later Allen scored on a single from Luke Hankcock, making the score 8-1 Bulldogs.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, MSU erupted for 5 more runs to put the game well out of reach.  A hit by pitch and 2 walks loaded the bases for Dubrule.  He singled to center scoring one.  After another hit batter, Forsythe came through with a 2 RBI single to center.  Followed by a single to right from Rowdey Jordan which scored another run and made the score 13-1.

Lost in all of the hitting by MSU tonight was the excellent pitching from starter Houston Harding and reliever Preston Johnson.  Harding went 4 innings, allowing only 1 run on 2 hits and had 4 strikeouts.  Johnson was even better.  He pitched the final 5 innings and only allowed 1 run on 2 hits as well.  He ended up with 7 strikeouts on the night.