What Stood Out This Weekend for Mississippi State Baseball against LSU

What are some takeaways from opening SEC weekend for Mississippi State?

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs take the series over the number two-ranked LSU Tigers. It was a weekend at Dudy Noble Field that Bulldogs fans have not felt since 2021. 

Mississippi State made a resounding statement against the Tigers by dominating games one and three of the series. MSUs lone loss came after they fell behind 9-1 in the third inning, and yet the Bulldogs still managed to make it a game as they fell 9-8. 

What stood out on the diamond this weekend at “The Dude.” 

Lineup Changes

The Bulldogs dominated game one against the Tigers 10-4, but freshman shortstop Dylan Cupp got banged up during that game, and MSU head coach Chris Lemonis elected to give him a day off on Saturday. Cupp has been playing well, but the Saturday and Sunday lineup seemed lethal as Larry returned to second base and Bryce Chance took over as the designated hitter. 

These changes to the lineup made the lineup noticeably deeper as Chance hit a three-run home run out of the eighth hole on Saturday. Aaron Downs also drew the start in left field in all three games, and he produced by having seven hits and drove in three runs. 

The Bulldogs seemed to always have a weak spot in their lineup during non-conference play, but that trend has changed in the last two games. 

Toughness

This ball club showed off their toughness this week, especially on Saturday. MSU trailed the Tigers 9-1 in the third inning but battled all the way back to make it 9-8. 

However, they could not complete the comeback, but it was a good sign that they did not fold. That game would have likely been a run-rule defeat for Mississippi State in the previous two seasons. 

Competing on the Mound

The MSU pitching staff came into the weekend without Nate Dohm, their Friday night starter. Dohm went down with an injury last Friday against Evansville, but he was warming up and throwing with the team today. 

However, this did not derail the staff, as they competed all weekend. They were not dominant, nor were they expected to be, given the Tiger's tough lineup. 

Khal Stephen and Gavin Black had rough outings on Saturday, giving up a combined nine runs, but Karson Ligon and Tyson Hardin picked them up and did not allow another run. Hardin and Ligon have both had their struggles this year, but they came into the game and got outs in high-leverage situations by simply staying in the zone and letting their defense go to work. 

The Bulldogs' bullpen gave up seven runs on the weekend, but they got an impressive number of clutch outs. 

This was a massive weekend for the Mississippi State Baseball program and its head coach. Both have received a fair share of criticism, and it was warranted, but they made a statement this weekend against the defending national champions. 

Mississippi State will be back in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT as they host Memphis. 

Mississippi State Baseball Takes the Rubber Match Against LSU 15-5