Brent Rooker Show Comes To End In SEC, But Not Before New Wrinkle

Brent Rooker is pitching.

WE REPEAT

Brent Rooker now pitching for @HailStateBB. pic.twitter.com/dUaJW4Ythp

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 27, 2017

HOOVER, Ala.—No. 18 Mississippi State started the Southeastern Conference Tournament 2-0 this week with SEC player of the year Brent Rooker leading the way. On Friday, the tournament’s fourth day, the Bulldogs and Rooker stumbled.

Mississippi State (36-24) lost twice Friday, first 12-3 to No. 4 Florida and then 9-2 to No. 13 Arkansas in an elimination game. Rooker went 0-for-9 with three strikeouts between the two games, his powerful bat thwarted by Gators righthander Jackson Kowar and Razorbacks righthander Blaine Knight.

Rooker had been held hitless in consecutive games just three times this season before Friday.

“I thought about my at bats and I really can’t get that mad,” he said. “I faced two really, really good arms who executed their game plans and made really good pitches. That’s going to happen sometimes when you see guys like Kowar from Florida and obviously Blaine Knight is a phenomenal arm as well.”

Rooker is now hitting .404/.505/.843 with 21 home runs and 18 stolen bases.

Rooker’s biggest highlight Friday came in the bottom of the eighth inning of the nightcap against Arkansas. With the game already in hand for the Razorbacks, Rooker made his first career pitching appearance, moving from first base to the mound with two outs in the inning. The righthander faced three batters, allowing a walk and a two-run double before finishing the inning with a fly out. He threw all fastballs, mostly sitting 80-82 mph.

“I think we just ran thin down there and (coach Andy Cannizaro) just asked me to come in and try to throw it somewhere near the plate and I did my best,” Rooker said. “I don’t know how well I did, but I tried as hard as I could.”

Mississippi State’s pitching staff has been depleted by injuries this season and its lack of depth caught up with it Friday. Righthander Cole Gordon, one of a few position players who have had to take on greater roles on the mound this spring, started and threw seven strong innings against the Gators. But when he exited the game and righthanders Spencer Price and Riley Self, the Bulldogs’ top two relievers, didn’t have their best stuff, the Gators blew the game open. They scored 11 runs in the eighth inning, an SEC Tournament record.

It was a similar story in the nightcap, as Jacob Billingsley held the Razorbacks to three runs in five innings, but the bullpen was unable to keep the game close. Between the two games, Mississippi State’s bullpen gave up 17 runs on 13 hits and 12 walks.

While Mississippi State’s limited pitching depth is a weakness, nearly every team shortens its staff during the NCAA Tournament. Cannizaro said the Bulldogs have about a half-dozen pitchers they expect to depend on next week during regionals.

“Those are the guys who are going to get the ball with the season on the line,” he said. “And I feel really good about sending those six guys out to the mound.”

Rooker, who said he last pitched significantly during his junior year of high school, will not be among those trusted pitchers. But after pestering Cannizaro throughout the season to get a shot on the mound—Rooker said he was largely joking—he got his chance Friday.

Rooker joked that he wanted to get on the mound to match Louisville lefthander/first baseman Brendan McKay, his primary challenger for College Player of the Year.

“That was the whole goal is to try and get on the same level as that guy,” Rooker said. “From what I’ve heard, I’ve got to work on my curveball a little bit to be able to throw one like he does.”

Rooker said his appearance on the mound was a “cool experience” at the end of what has been a strong conference season for him and the Bulldogs. Now, they turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament, where they will likely go on the road as a No. 2 seed in regionals.

“We’re going to be high energy, upbeat when we go back to practice on Sunday and then when we find out where we’re headed on Monday,” Rooker said. “We’ve just got to continue to build momentum throughout the week and just go into regional play really well.”