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Although the Bulldogs will not qualify for next week’s SEC Tournament – for the second consecutive year – they went into Oxford and stunned then-No. 7 Ole Miss by winning the first two games, 6-5 and 11-8. The Rebels took the finale, 8-1.
It was MSU’s second SEC series victory this season, the other coming on opening weekend against South Carolina.
MSU got solid pitching all weekend, except for a relief corps breakdown Sunday. Junior Tyler Whitney lasted seven innings to win Friday’s game, and freshman Nick Routt went five innings Saturday before rain delayed the game for nearly four hours.
State continued to hit well in SEC games, posting a .315 average for the weekend.
- Looking ahead: MSU plays Memphis (21-28) at 3 p.m. today at AutoZone Park. The Bulldogs beat the Tigers, 6-3, in Starkville on March 25.
- In the SEC: MSU wraps up its season with a home series against No. 2 LSU (38-14, 18-9), which means the Bulldogs have a chance to upset another team’s No. 1 tourney seed aspirations. The Tigers lead the SEC West and are a game up on Florida for the league’s best record. The series begins Thursday. State was swept in Baton Rouge last year.
- MVP: Senior catcher Scott DeLoach was 5-for-10 at the plate against Ole Miss, and he smashed his first career home run, a solo shot on Friday. The former ICC standout leads the SEC in on-base percentage (.493).