The Bulldog Box Score and More: A super start to Super Bulldog Weekend for MSU

What do you get when you mix a little hustle, some heroics and an electric homefield advantage? For Mississippi State, it all added up to a super start to Super Bulldog Weekend.

No. 4 MSU rode the legs of Tanner Allen, the bat of Kamren James and the voices inside a packed Dudy Noble Field to a 5-2 win over No. 6 Ole Miss on Friday night. In one of the most anticipated matchups in the history of this longstanding instate rivalry with a jam-packed crowd to match the expectations, it was the Bulldogs enjoying a victory in round one.

"I thought they did great," MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said of his team's performance. "It was hyped. The maroon-white chants (from the crowd) there in the eighth (inning), we haven’t heard that in a long time. Even if you’re the opponent in this environment, it’s nice to have some normalcy back. I thought our kids did a great job."

Good, old-fashioned fundamental baseball helped carry State to its 15th win in the last 17 tries over Ole Miss. Tanner Allen got things started for MSU with a one-out double in the first that he had had to motor to get. His effort paid off one batter later. Kamren James followed with a run-scoring single and the Dogs were off and running with a 1-0 lead.

The night wasn't without a stiff challenge from the Rebels. Ole Miss got to MSU starter Christian MacLeod for the game-tying run in the third, then the Rebels surged in front in the fourth with a home run off the bat of T.J. McCants. But the same couple of guys that got the Bulldog party started back in the first were waiting to rescue State in the middle innings.

James led off the fourth with a long home run into the Left Field Lounge to make the score 2-2. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Allen again showed off his wheels with a triple just ahead of a sacrifice fly from James. That gave State a lead it'd never relinquish as relievers Preston Johnson and Landon Sims held the Rebels down.

MSU put the game away with a two-run rally in the eighth. Rowdey Jordan had an RBI single and James had another sacrifice fly in the frame. Not long after, the Bulldogs were celebrating a Friday night win and setting their sights on clinching the series against the Rebels come Saturday. Even so, the Bulldogs aren't taking a thing for granted.

"(Friday) is over with," Allen said. "You can't get too high on the highs and can't get too low on the lows. We were on the very lows a couple weeks ago (after getting swept by Arkansas). Now we think we're real high. We've just got to stay level-headed. Come out (Saturday) and attack the day, have really good (batting practice), have a lot of energy, because I'm telling you, (Ole Miss) is good over there. They are a very good ball club. We've got to be on our game (Saturday)."

(WATCH TANNER ALLEN'S FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE. YOU CAN WATCH CHRIS LEMONIS' FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE BY CLICKING HERE. KAMREN JAMES' FULL POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE IS BELOW.)

Alright, let's have a look at Friday's numbers, MSU MVPs and the Moment of the Game:

Ole Miss at Mississippi State box score

MSU Offensive MVP: Kamren James

When you bat four times and drive in a run in each plate appearance, well, that'll get you in this spot most nights. That's precisely what James did on Friday. He had an RBI single in the first, a solo homer in the fourth and sacrifice flies in the sixth and eighth.

"That guy is a really, really good hitter," Allen said of James. "He's hitting the ball very well. He's not hitting the pitcher's pitch, he's getting his pitch and making it hurt."

To hear from James himself, here's his full postgame press conference:

MSU Pitching MVP: RPs Preston Johnson and Landon Sims

Sometimes State's bullpen is so good, you can't just pick one guy. And on Friday night, with Johnson and Sims combining for four shutout innings giving up just two hits while striking out eight, well, it seems fitting they both get the mention here.

Here's what Chris Lemonis said on his two relievers:

On Johnson..."We need those bridge guys. He’s got really good stuff. His analytics are really good too. Him being in the zone, and he starts at 92-93 (miles per hour) and ends up 94-95-96 (miles per hour). He has that ability to throw some high-end velocity at them. We’ve used him a couple times as a bridge guy. I think (Johnson's struggles last week at Auburn) was just being on the road. For him to pitch (on Friday) like that in this environment (was good)."

And on Sims..."Every time we pitch him, he pitches really good. And it’s a spark for the offense. It happened against Kentucky and it happened (Friday). He's just one of those guys that brings energy to the ballpark. He’s starting to get a standing ovation when he comes in. Our fans understand it too. He’s a special player. I told our team, ‘I sure am glad Landon Sims is on our team.’ Hopefully, we get a shot at using him another time this weekend."

Moment of the Game: Dogs put it away in the eighth

Maybe MSU wins the game without its two-run eighth-inning rally, but it certainly felt like the nail in Ole Miss' Friday-night coffin. With the Bulldogs clinging to a 3-2 lead, Dudy Noble came to life, MSU rallied, and with Sims waiting his chance to close it out, it felt like the ballgame was done. And maybe the most memorable part of it all was that for the first time in two years, it really felt and sounded like the old pre-pandemic Dudy Noble Field was back.

"Our fans know what’s going on," Lemonis said. "They’re in at the right moments. Maroon-white chants with a freshman pitcher out there trying to get us out, that makes it hard. It makes it fun for us. Even in (batting practice) when you see everyone flying into the berms, it’s the excitement that our fan base has, it just makes it better for the players. We’re very fortunate to have a fan base like ours."

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