STARKVILLE — Mississippi State celebrated its 2021 national championship by unveiling a wall panel and putting the trophy on public display.

Then 2022 began and a bunch of Dirtbags showed up to ruin the party.

Three pitchers combined on a one-hitter, Kaden Moeller hit a solo home run, and the Long Beach State Dirtbags spoiled Mississippi State’s party by beating the Bulldogs 3-0 in the season opener Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

Luis Ramirez started for Long Beach State and did not allow a hit in six innings of work. Matt Fields followed with two scoreless innings, and Devereaux Harrison finished up for the save.

Mississippi State did not get a hit until Hunter Hines hit a two-out single off of Fields in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

The Bulldogs’ only other baserunners came via walks to Kellum Clark in the fifth inning and Logan Forsythe in the sixth. Long Beach State’s pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.

Landon Sims started on the mound for Mississippi State and turned in a strong performance. He struck out 13 batters and walked none in seven innings, while allowing five hits and only one run. Moeller touched him for a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning to break a scoreless tie.

Sims left the game at the end of the seventh and was replaced by Parker Stinnett, who struggled in his relief appearance.
Stinnett walked Connor Burns to lead off the eighth inning and then uncorked a wild pitch. Chase Luttrell followed with an RBI double, and then scored on a single by Jonathon Long to give the Dirtbags a 3-0 lead.

Stone Simmons struck out the side in the ninth inning for the Bulldogs, but their offense also went down in order in the bottom of the inning against Harrison.

Mississippi State and Long Beach State play again Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1.