JACKSON – Runs were as scarce as empty seats here at a cramped Smith-Wills Stadium for the 27th annual Mayor’s Trophy Game between Southeastern Conference rivals Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

Behind a brilliant pitching performance from former reliever Will Kline, Ole Miss won its fifth straight Mayor’s Trophy with a 1-0 win over the Bulldogs before a crowd of 5,836. They now lead the capital city series, 14-13.

Kline and two Rebel relievers struck out 11 Bulldogs and allowed just five hits, including none after the fifth inning.

The game’s only run came on a solo home run from Ole Miss’ Zack Cozart in the second inning off a nearly equally impressive start by State’s Matt Lea (5-1).

&#8220Who’d think we would have a 1-0 mid-week game with the lone run coming off a solo home run,” asked Mississippi State third baseman Michael Rutledge. &#8220I don’t know what it is. We’re not getting good swings.”

&#8220This is very exciting. I know it’s a mid-week game, but it’s Mississippi State and this is a great win for us,” added Kline, who was razor sharp, throwing 83 strikes out of 111 pitches in seven innings of shutout ball.

&#8220He didn’t have to make many pitches from behind,” State coach Ron Polk said. &#8220It was an unusual mid-week game because both Kline and Lea looked like SEC rotation pitchers tonight.”

Ole Miss second baseman and former Vicksburg High star Justin Henry had a good view of the job Kline did to the Bulldog batters.

&#8220He had three pitches, fastball, slider, change and every one was working,” Henry said. &#8220He was completely dominant. He had been our main set up guy early on, but he’s always had good stuff.”

Henry got a lot of work in the first inning as the Bulldogs (25-7) put together the first of only four scoring opportunities in the game.

Edward Easley and Thomas Berkery each sent hits right by Henry at second. A third ball to Henry saw him rush a throw to Kline covering first. The play resulted in an error and loaded the bases for the Bulldogs.

Kline induced another ground ball to Henry and this time the routine play was made to end the inning. That was it for State until the fifth.

Ole Miss (20-13) got its 1-0 lead when Cozart smashed a Lea offering over the left field fence to open the second inning.

State strung together a pair of hits against Kline in the fifth with Brad Jones and Jeffrey Rea reaching. Kline, though, came back to get Easley to ground into an inning ending double play. Rebel third baseman Chris Coghlan gloved the grounder, tagged Jones and then threw over to first to get Easley.

Kline (1-2) struck out three of the last four batters faced to complete his night with nine strikeouts.

Cody Satterwhite retired State on three pop-ups in the eighth.

In the ninth, Rebels coach Mike Bianco brought in the Rebels’ regular closer Garrett White. White, though, made things a bit too interesting.

He walked leadoff batter Mitch Moreland on a 3-2 pitch. He then uncorked a way outside wild pitch, sending pinch-runner Tyler Bratton to second and nullifying any type of sacrifice bunt from Joseph Hunter.

&#8220He said it was a slider that slipped,” quipped Bianco. &#8220We haven’t played hardly any night games when it’s been this warm.”

White came back to strike out Hunter. He then threw wildly inside, hitting Jeff Butts to put two on. Pinch-hitter Joseph McCaskill flied out to right but Rutledge drew a two-out walk to load the bases.

It came down to White against pinch-hitter Matt Richardson. White won the battle, striking out Richardson on a 2-2 fastball.

&#8220Maybe I was just overthrowing too much, but it was very exciting to be out there with this great crowd,” White said.

USM 12, SE Louisiana 2.

Toddric Johnson scored two runs and had two RBIs to lead Southern Miss to a rout of Southeastern Louisiana.

Eight different Southern Miss (26-10) players scored in the game and seven had RBIs.

Barry Bowden (1-1) pitched the win for Southern Miss and Wade Miley (2-5) took the loss. Ryan Spencer scored both runs for Southeastern Louisiana (14-17).