Mississippi State Baseball Sets Unfavorable Record Against Tennessee, Looks to Carry Momentum into Offseason

The Diamond Dawgs were hit with the largest margin of defeat in team history but look to finish out the year with some success.

Mississippi State baseball set a record that it never wanted to come close to on Thursday night. 

The Diamond Dawgs were defeated 27-2 by Tennessee on Thursday night. That's the largest loss that the team has had against an SEC team in history. MSU also came within two runs of tying the school record for most runs allowed to an opponent. 

State struggled offensively for much of the game, but pitching certainly didn't give the tea, much of a chance from the beginning. Seven home runs, seven doubles and eight walks were the demise of the Bulldogs. There wasn't much left to salvage by the end of the third inning-- the Volunteers already had an 8-0 lead. 

Now, Mississippi State has to pull off a miracle to end the season on a good note. Any sort of postseason looks out of reach for the team, but that hasn't stopped the players from giving it their all. After the game, catcher Logan Tanner said that the Bulldogs will keep going despite their recent struggles. 

"We're not going to give up, we're not just going to mail it in," Tanner said.

Even with nothing on the line, finishing out the year strong can impact the team. As Tanner said, the team needs to have some momentum heading into the offseason before gearing up for fall practice and the 2023 season.

"We want to go out with some positive vibes and hopefully win some games before we get out of here," Tanner said. 

Ultimately, the game means much more than wins and losses. There is a sense of pride in the coaches, players and fanbase alike that will never go away. This season has been tough for a team that is coming off of a championship year, but the Bulldogs that go on to bigger things want to leave Starkville by doing the most for their biggest supporters. 

"You want to end the year on a good note here and play well for the fans," Tanner said. "We always want to play well for the fans." 

Mississippi State will look to fight back in Game 2 on Friday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT.