Jake Vickerson cranked a game-winning, bases-clearing triple to right in the second.
LAFAYETTE, La. -- Myles Gentry pitched four perfect innings of relief and Mississippi State made a four-run second inning stand up in a 5-2 victory against San Diego State on Friday in a first-round NCAA tournament game.
Gentry retired the 12 batters he faced on only 34 pitches to earn his fourth save for Mississippi State (38-22), last season's national runner-up.
Mississippi State won its regional tournament opener for the third time in four seasons. The Bulldogs did it from the mound as Fitts and Gentry combined to retire the final 16 batters in the game.
“Our defense was really good in this game,” Gentry said. “When you are pitching to contact, you have to be able to trust the guys behind you. I trust these guys completely.”
Starter Trevor Fitts (5-3) went five innings for the win.
SDSU (42-20) struck first with two runs in the top of the second, but Jake Vickerson's bases-loaded triple to the wall in right put Mississippi State up 4-2 in the bottom of the inning.
All four of Mississippi State's runs in the second inning came after a two-out error by shortstop Evan Potter on a flip to second base. The Bulldogs added another run on Alex Detz's two-out single in the fifth.
Aztecs starter Mark Seyler (8-6) was chased after 4 2-3 innings.
