Bumstead (8-1) scattered seven hits, two through the first five innings, and held State scoreless until the eighth when Jon Mungle singled and Steve Gendron followed with a run-scoring double.
LSU took command of the game early, plating a pair of runs off MSU starter Todd Nicholas (4-3) in the second and added two more in the third. Blake Gill reached on an infield single at third base, advanced a base on a wild pitch and an infield groundout, then scored on Quinn Stewart's single up the middle. Stewart moved to third on Ivan Naccaratta's single through the right side of the infield and came home on a passed ball.
The Tigers got back-to-back solo home runs from Ryan Patterson and Aaron Hill in the third, took a 5-0 lead in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Hill and Clay Harris, and inthe sixth parlayed a pair of two-out singles and a walk into their sixth and final run.
The Tigers out-hit the Bulldogs 13-7 in the finale after being held to four hits in Saturday night's 5-0 shutout.
Hill and Naccarata had three hits each, with Hill belting a home run and a pair of doubles. Bruce Sprowl and Gill had two each for the Tigers.
Steve Gendron singled and oubled to lead MSU.
Nicholas, who retired LSU in order with nine pitches to open the game, gave up a pair of two-out singles in the two-run second and left the game inthe third after Patterson's solo blast to left made it a 3-0 game. Nicholas allowed three runs on four hits during his 2-1/3 inning mound stint. Freshman Jamie Gant gave up the other three runs on six hits during a 3-1/3 inning relief stint. Senior Brian Owens and freshman Brett Cleveland worked an inning and a third each to finish the game.
The Bulldogs, with no midweek games scheduled, resume competition in Athens, Ga., Friday, opening a three-game SEC series against Georgia (26-22, 8-16 SEC).
LSU 6, MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
LSU 022 011 000 --- 6-13-1
MSU 000 000 010 --- 1-7-1
WP --- Nate Bumstead (8-1). LP --- Todd Nicholas (4-3). HR --- (LSU) Ryan Patterson (11), Aaron Hill (5). T --- 2:50. ATT --- 7,045 (paid), 6,180 (actual).
Todd Nicholas, Jamie Gant (3), Brian Owens (7), and Craig Tatum. Nate Bumstead and Matt Liuzza.
Pictures from the game (Photographer: Clint Parish)
Gene Swindoll is the owner of Gene's Page, the unofficial source for Mississippi State sports on the internet. The URL for Gene's Page is http://mississippistate.theinsiders.com. You can contact him by emailing swindoll@genespage.com.