Hancock Whitney Classic: Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech

A top 25 showdown that had Omaha written all over it, last night’s game one of the inaugural Hancock Whitney Classic was well worth the hype.

- a top 25 showdown that had omah- written all over- it... last night's game 1 of th- inaugural hancock whitney - classic... was well worth the - hype.

- mississippi state ended texas - tech's 12-game winning streak..- in front of the sixth-largest - crowd ever recorded, at m-- g-m park... and did so with the- help of some former high school- baseball stars... from the gulf- coast.- east central alum brad cumbest- scored m-s-u's first run- of the game... and george count- alum logan tanner drove in- the team's sixth and final run- of the game.- so what about game 2... - 17th-ranked bulldogs taking on- the fourth-ranked red - raiders, in biloxi... m-s-u's - last athletic event with fans - in attendance until at least- march 30th... due to- corona-virus- prevention.

- now we were just talking about- mr. tanner... and his - ears must've been burning...- that's what happens when- it's suns out guns out... snipe- down the runner at second... bi- time momentum killer, in a- scoreless top of the first.

- bottom second now... and- normally we don't show the- free passes... but talk about a- a-b, for tanner... fouling off- six - pitches, to draw a 12-pitch - walk... good stuff from the - former- rebel.- and finally a bulldog break-- through, in the third... as - rowdey jordan pulls one down th- first base line... and he says- hey... i'm gonna run another 90- feet... stand-up double, for th- junior... and just like that...- diamond dawgs are in business.- two batters later... josh - hatcher puts one in play... and- he'll trade that run for an out- all day... jordan scores easily- from third... m-s-u strikes - first this time... leading 1- - nothing after three.- in the fourth... tanner showing- out, in his return to the gulf- coast... as he rips a single- back up the middle... and he's- aboard- for a second time... but also - stranded for a second time.

- and the raiders would take- advantage, in the next- half-inning...- cal conley finds a gap in right- center, in front of the miller- lite- sign... that drives in parker - kelly... game back to a 1-1 tie- but mississippi state would fin- some new life, after the- seventh inning stretch... - hatcher is a two-out- swinger, out to deep right- field... into the wind and onto- the - warning track... jordan is on - his horse to score from - second... - and that would be your go-ahead- run... as m-s-u takes a 2-1 - lead.

- but luke hancock getting the- feeling that lead might not be- safe... so why not tack on an - extra insurance run... hatcher- steps on the white pentagon...- 3-1 state... and that feeling - was - right.- bulldogs hang on for the nail-- biter victory... 3-2 final over- texas tech... handing the red - - - - raiders their second and third- losses of the season, this- week... two huge wins over a to- five program... for mississippi- state.-