STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball's Bryce Chance was visibly frustrated. He was slinging his gloves into his helmet. He was shouting at himself as he walked to his spot in left field.

Teammate Dakota Jordan had just hit a home run to bring MSU within a run in the fifth inning of its season opener against Air Force, and Chance was in scoring position with an opportunity to even the game. However, an over-aggressive attempt to score on a lineout from Connor Hujsak doubled-up Chance, bringing the threat to an end.

But he got his redemption.

Two innings later, he hit a two-run blast just over the left-center wall at Dudy Noble Field, giving Mississippi State the lead in Friday's 8-4 win.

"I'm trying to be better this year about flushing stuff that has happened before," Chance said postgame. "I got ahead in the count, and he hung a breaking ball for me."

The three-run seventh from the Bulldogs (1-0) was followed by a pair of scoreless innings from junior right-handed pitcher Cam Schuelke, who earned a six-out save. Tyler Davis, who worked around trouble for a scoreless seventh, got the win.

The victory over the Falcons (0-1) came in front of an opening-day record crowd of 11,216.

"Our fan base is the best," MSU coach Chris Lemonis said. "We say it every day. It's really a pretty special place."

Logan Kohler’s strong debut derailed by injury

Memphis transfer third baseman Logan Kohler provided everything MSU was looking for early. Defensively, he made an impressive diving play for the game’s first out. In his first at-bat, he gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the season with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first.

However, while attempting to tag a runner in the fourth inning, Kohler appeared to injure his shoulder and was replaced by Nate Chester in the lineup.

Lemonis had no update on Kohler's status postgame, but he said the third baseman was in "good spirits" while in the dugout.

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Nate Dohm starts opener, attacks zone

After serving primarily as a relief pitcher last season, Nate Dohm was Mississippi State’s starter Friday. He pitched four innings, allowing six hits and two runs (one earned).

Dohm attacked the zone, throwing 50 of his 66 pitches for strikes and had six strikeouts.

He frequently worked out of trouble after allowing the leadoff runner to reach base in each of the first three innings. In the third, Air Force’s Chase Spencer hit a double and advanced to third on an error to open the inning, but Dohm stranded him there.

MSU finished with just two walks allowed, which includes an intentional walk.

"If you don't walk anybody and you make plays — we can play a little defense than we played tonight — I do think that's a big piece," Lemonis said.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State baseball beats Air Force, sets attendance record