With an RPI at 281, North Alabama was a must-win midweek game for No. 16 Mississippi State on Tuesday night.
Despite the dangers of a loss being on the Bulldogs’ mind, State was in a dogfight with the 17-32 Lions and the two teams were tied in the sixth inning.
Catcher Joe Powell decided to take matters in his own hands and hit three home runs as the Diamond Dawgs would pull away and avoid disaster, 8-4.
Powell entered last Sunday’s game with Arkansas having not hit a home run all season. The backup catcher quickly changed those fortunes as he’s hit four long balls in the last two games.
“I made an adjustment in my swing. It’s been a long time coming,” Powell said. “I’ve been seeing the ball well and swinging at good pitching. The story has been crazy, but I was thinking about it in the dugout between each one and I take that and humble myself. I’m talking to God in the dugout and give it straight back to him. All of that is for God and I couldn’t do it without Him. I live and play for an audience of One.”
On Tuesday night, Powell went 4-for-4 with three home runs and six RBI. His three shots saved State from a bad loss.
It was a game where the Bulldogs struggled to hit and had some testy moments on the mound in the middle innings. State got a run in the first inning as David Mershon drove in Bryce Chance from third and Powell would score a second run in the third on his first home run.
The offense went quiet from there with UNA slowing down the Bulldog bats and the Lions climbed back in the game with a double that tied it in the sixth.
State looked to answer back in the bottom of the inning with Amani Larry at third base and no outs but the Diamond Dawgs were in danger of not scoring. Enter Powell, who stepped to the plate with two outs and runners at the corners. Powell would send his second home run into the Left Field Lounge for a three-run home run that makes it 5-2.
With the lead back down to 6-4 in the seventh, Powell came back up again and put the game away with a two-run shot off of the batter’s eye that would provide the 8-4 final.
Missed in the drama that unfolded during the game, State got a chance to get standout pitcher Nate Dohm on the mound. The junior starter was State’s Friday night pitcher for the first part of the season before he went down with an arm injury.
Having thrown just eight pitches in SEC play, Dohm looked close to returning to form as he threw 2.0 perfect frames with two strikeouts.
“I thought his performance was great,” coach Chris Lemonis said. “The goal is to have him back for the postseason and we’re pretty close. We’re trying to build him up each time. I think he’s trying to get in there and help us out any way that he can.”
Colby Holcombe threw 2.0 innings and surrendered just a solo home run with three strikeouts. Luke Dotson threw 1.1 innings with two hits, one run and one walk and Cam Scheulke (4-0) earned the win with 3.2 innings, five hits, two runs, no walks and six strikeouts.
Along with Powell’s four hits, State had a 2-for-4 game from Mershon with an RBI and a double.
State (34-18, 15-12 SEC) now will try to close out the regular season and potentially lock up a hosting bid for the NCAA Tournament as Missouri comes to Starkville this weekend looking to spoil things.
It’s a Thursday-Saturday series this week with Thursday and Friday night starting at 6 p.m. and Saturday’s game getting a 2 p.m. first pitch.
“Everybody in this league is good and they’re still playing for a lot,” Lemonis said of Missouri. “I don’t care about scenarios and tournament. All we can control is between the lines. All we can control is come out and play good baseball against Missouri.”
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