• The buzz: Small ball overcame power ball at Swayze Field tonight, as the Bulldogs rallied with a three-run eighth inning to take Game 1 of this crucial series. MSU is now 31-18 overall and 12-13 in the SEC – a half-game out of first place (all the other series begin Friday). It was the seventh straight win for State, which is now 2-0 against Ole Miss this year, having won the Governor's Cup, 6-1.

• Big inning: Ole Miss (27-22, 11-14) pulled ahead 5-4 on Alex Yarbrough's three-run homer in the seventh inning, but MSU immediately responded in the eighth. Nick Vickerson and Jaron Shepherd both singled to lead off the inning, with Vickerson going to third on a hit-and-run. Brent Brownlee bunted in the tying run and reached safely. With one out, pinch-hitter Adam Frazier struck out with Shepherd stealing on the pitch, and catcher Miles Hamblin's throw sailed into left field, allowing Shepherd to score. Brownlee then scored on Wes Thigpen's RBI single.

• Key stats: Ole Miss committed four errors, leading to four unearned runs. It made two of those errors in the eighth. Ole Miss stranded nine runners, MSU six. Before being taken out of the game, Ole Miss starter Matt Crouse retired 10 of 11 State batters.

• MSU at the plate: The Bulldogs had eight hits, with two each by Vickerson and Shepherd. Senior Jarrod Parks saw his 21-game hitting streak come to an end, although he did reach twice on errors – the second error was a very questionable ruling. Parks scored twice. Brownlee had two RBIs.

• Ole Miss at the plate: The Rebels had 11 hits but missed too many chances, going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position. They had bases loaded, no outs in the ninth against MSU closer Caleb Reed, but he induced a double play and then fanned Will Allen to end the game.

• MSU on the mound: Starter Luis Pollorena battled through 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking two. Reliever Chad Girodo (3-0) got the win despite yielding Yarbrough's blast on his first pitch of the game. Reed worked the final two innings for his 10th save, allowing two hits and three walks.

• Ole Miss on the mound: Crouse struggled early but settled in during the middle innings. He had to be pulled after six innings with his pitch count getting high. He was charged with four runs, but only one of those was earned, on four hits. He whiffed six and walked three. Reliever Bobby Wahl (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in two innings.

• Bottom line: The Bulldogs again showed that it takes a lot to get them down. Yarbrough's homer would have deflated a lot of teams, but MSU stuck with its approach and small-balled Ole Miss to death. If MSU can pull out Game 2 on Friday, it could be well on its way to an SEC Tournament berth.

• Quotable: "Our kids, it's fun to be around them. They just love to compete. And whenever there's anything that goes against them right now, they just see it as a challenge." – MSU coach John Cohen

• Up next: Friday's game is set for a 7 p.m. start and will be televised by SportSouth. Junior lefty Nick Routt (1-2, 3.66) takes the mound for MSU against Ole Miss junior righty David Goforth (4-6, 4.79).