Would something amazing happen in game 2? (Williams / WBR) $CLICK TO BUY$
Remember that scene in Pulp Fiction when Jules and Vincent are in Brett’s apartment and Vincent opens Marsellus Wallace’s briefcase, the glowing gold splashing upon Vincent’s face as he looks at the contents in awe, leading Jules to ask, “We happy?”
It felt as if the Baseball Gods, looking to dole out retribution for the marathon we endured in the first game of the day, had to give us something to smile about. Maybe it was a long dongshot into straight away center. Maybe it was a no-hitter going past the 7th inning.
Greatness needed to be gifted.
Something.
Anything.
Just to wash that first game out of our minds.
Well, the Baseball Gods delivered in the most magnificent way possible in Mississippi State’s 1-0 victory over Washington.
Through the first two innings Mississippi State and Washington sent 13 total batters to the dish. One reached on a double, the rest were set down with relative ease.
It wasn’t until the third where State got into a bit of trouble. Starter Ethan Small gave up back to back one out singles to Washington’s 9 & 1 hitters, then fidgeted a bit setting up to throw a curveball. It was slight, you could sort of see it on the replay, but it was just enough for the umpire to call him on it. “It was a small flinch. Props to the
umpire for catching that,” Small said after the game, “I was gripping a curveball. L.A. breaks for daylight and didn’t have the grip I needed and I just kind of moved my knee a little bit.”
Runners on 2nd & 3rd. One out.
On the very next pitch, Small plunked the number two hitter to load the bases with one out, sending three hole hitter and .293 hitter Nick Kahle to the plate to swing the aluminum stick.
As tense as this game could get, this was the greatest threat the ballgame would offer until the ninth.
Small threw a sinker, starting belt high end ending just mid-thigh, right down the pipe, and Kahle sent a bouncer right at Luke Alexander who turned the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and the threat.
Washington starter Joe DeMers pitched a great game. Unfortunately the Huskie bats couldn’t get going (Williams WBR) $CLICK TO BUY$
Washington starter Joe DeMers then hit cruise control, tossing just 72 pitches over his 7.1 innings pitched. He cruised through a couple innings that featured lead-off singles, working his way out of them with relative ease, yet proceeded to pound the zone and get the Bulldog offense swinging into the teeth of his defense.
In all, DeMers produced 14 groundouts while striking out just two, nearly Madduxing Mississippi State to death with well balanced efficiency.
Of those 14 groundouts, however, Husky shortstop Levi Jordan seemed to stop all of them. Time after time Jordan made unbelievably plays that allowed the senior to shine. If a defensive superstar like Jordan can survive and advance long enough to make some noise, his highlights will run in College World Series spots for eons to come. His coach knows how special this talent is, saying, “I mean, what you saw tonight, honestly, is what he’s been doing for four years. He’s an elite defender. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’ve coached a lot of great infielders… The thing about Levi is he makes it look like it’s routine. He makes the routine play look routine, but he also makes the extraordinary play look routine. The footwork is off the charts. It’s always a good throw. There are no wasted steps. We’ve kind of joked that it’s like watching “Dancing With The Stars” because he never takes a false step.”
When DeMers hit trouble in the 8th, giving up a 1-out double to Jake Mangum, Meggs pulled his starter and replaced him with Alex Hardy. Hardy rounded out the inning with back-to-back groundouts, giving the Huskies a shot at the dish in the top of the ninth.
Mississppi State pitchers scored a shutout (Williams / WBR) $CLICK TO BUY$
There, they were unable to capitalize with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs, giving the Cardiac Dawgs an opportunity to walk it off, something they’ve grown accustomed to, something they thrive on.
Not to spoil it, but they seized the moment as they so often do.
Hunter Stovall started things off with a single. Elijah MacNamee followed with a laser up the middle.
Winning run on 2nd.
No one out.
Bunt?
Bunt.
On the first pitch he saw, Justin Foscue squared to bunt and promptly popped it behind him, with Nick Kahle springing out of his crouch and nabbing the ball on the fly.
Bad bunt?
Atrocious.
No matter.
On an 0-2 pitch, Luke Alexander ripped a slider into deep right field, bounding over the head of Kaiser Weiss, sending Stovall to the plate with plenty of time to spare.
Ballgame.
Dawgs do it again.
After a long, pregnant pause, Jules asks Vincent – who’s still in awe of the contents of the briefcase – if they’re happy.
“Vincent, we happy?”
Vincent looks up, shuts the briefcase, and simply states,
“Oh, we’re happy.”