Bulldogs sweep Cats

A dominant showing by its veteran pitching staff carried No. 8 Mississippi State to a three-game sweep of Kentucky this weekend in Starkville.

The Bulldogs recorded 39 strikeouts and held the Cats to only 16 hits in the three-game series, which culminated Saturday with a 4-3 win by MSU.

Jackson Fristoe (3-2) was the latest MSU starter to handcuff the Cats, allowing just two runs on three hits and four walks over five innings on the mound. He struck out eight.

Kentucky (18-7, 5-4 SEC) threatened by putting the tying and go-ahead run on base in the ninth inning, but the Bulldogs' Parker Stinnett slammed the door for his first save of the season.

Mississippi State (20-7, 4-5 SEC) got just enough offense to hold off UK. The Bulldogs got home runs from Luke Hancock and Logan Tanner to highlight their day at the plate. Tanner had two of MSU's seven hits.

Zack Lee (2-2) started and took the loss for the Cats, allowing four earned runs on six hits.

Kentucky got two hits from Austin Schultz, who recorded a double, a run scored, and an RBI.

The Cats return to action on Tuesday at No. 7 Louisville.