Conference play opened on a low note for No. 3 Mississippi State, No. 7 Southern Miss, and Ole Miss, with all three falling in their respective series this weekend.
The Bulldogs (16-4, 1-2 SEC) began conference action at No. 5 Arkansas, a place the maroon and white have not won a series since 2007, and things played to the status quo. Brian O’Connor, in his conference debut as an SEC head coach, experienced the brutality of the league that has boasted the last six national champions.
Mississippi State suffered a 5-4 walk-off loss on Friday, with Arkansas slugger TJ Pompey hitting a game-winning bomb in the bottom of the ninth. The Bulldogs bounced back in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, leaning on a solid outing on the mound by Tomas Valincius to earn a 7-2 victory. The rubber match, however, played to the home club’s favor as the Razorbacks built a late lead to secure the series with a 7-3 win.
Star Bulldog third baseman Ace Reese had three hits, a home run, and six RBI to lead the offensive effort throughout the series. Valincius (4-0) was the only winning pitcher for Mississippi State. He had seven strikeouts through seven clean innings and only allowed two hits. Maddox Miller (1-2) and Tyler Pitzer (1-1) were the losing pitchers
The Golden Eagles (16-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) dropped two of three to Arkansas State in their conference opener. Rough outings on the bump by Friday night starter Colby Allen and reliever Camden Sunstrom paved the way for the Red Wolves to take game one by a score of 8-5. Southern Miss battled back in game two, as a strong pitching effort paired with optimal situational hitting led to a 7-1 victory. Christian Ostrander’s club dropped the rubber match 5-2.
Joey Urban was Southern Miss’ best bat throughout the series, logging four hits, four RBI, and two home runs. Grayden Harris (4-0) was the only winning Golden Eagle pitcher and had four strikeouts while giving up six hits in six scoreless innings. Sunstrom (1-1) and McCarty English (1-1) were credited with the two losses.
The Rebels (16-5, 1-2 SEC) opened conference action at No. 2 Texas with a bang. Ole Miss trailed 7-3 in the top of the ninth of Friday’s matchup, but a five-run frame, highlighted by a Tristan Bissetta grand slam, set up an all-time classic in Austin. The game went to extras with Grenada native Landon Waters giving the red and blue a mostly clean bottom of the 11th on the hill to take game one by a score of 9-8. Momentum quickly faded, as the Longhorns outscored Ole Miss 19-4 across the final two games.
Bissetta and Judd Utermark accounted for most of the Rebels’ offensive production. Bissetta had six hits, five RBI, and a home run in the series. Utermark recorded six hits and two RBI. Taylor Rabe (3-0) got the only win of the series for Ole Miss, logging five strikeouts and surrendering four hits and an earned run in two innings. Grayson Gibson (1-1) and Wil Libbert (2-2) were the losing pitchers. Star right-handed pitcher Cade Townsend had to exit Saturday’s game early with an unspecified injury.
Next up
Mississippi State will return home to battle Jackson State in a midweek matchup on Tuesday before hosting Vanderbilt over the weekend.
Southern Miss will have the chance to avenge an earlier loss to Nicholls on Tuesday in Biloxi before welcoming Troy to Hattiesburg over the weekend.
Ole Miss will head back to Oxford, where the team will host Austin Peay on Tuesday and Kentucky over the weekend.