Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Baseball Sweeps Hofstra, Poll Positions Unchanged

Mississippi State swept Hofstra to open the season, but two close games didn’t change expectations or the Bulldogs’ top-five ranking.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Infielder Ace Reese (#3) during the game between the Hofstra and Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State Infielder Ace Reese (#3) during the game between the Hofstra and Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

The expectations and hopes in Starkville for the Mississippi State baseball team are sky-high. Nothing that happened in the first weekend series of the Brian O’Connor era will change.

But the games were awfully close for a team expecting a trip to Omaha in June.

Mississippi State swept Hofstra and two games were decided by two or fewer runs. Friday’s season-opening game ended with a 6-5 win for the Bulldogs. Due to inclement weather in the forecast, Sunday’s game was moved to Saturday when the two sides played a double-header.

Mississippi State won game one fairly easy, 6-1, but had to battle a full nine innings in the second game to win 7-5.

The results were closer than most would like, but they won’t change the expectations surrounding this team. Nor did they change anything in the top 25 rankings.

Mississippi State remains ranked at the top of the polls. D1Baseball Top 25 has the Bulldogs at No. 4, while Baseball America has them at No. 3. Here’s what Baseball America had to say about Mississippi State’s opening weekend.

“Mississippi State swept its series against Hofstra, though it was a close one that featured a one-run (6-5) win on Friday and a two-run win (7-5) in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.”

Ace Reese was listed as the Bulldogs’ standout performer saying that he “is expected to be one of the best offensive players in college baseball this spring. He lived up to those expectations in week one, going 5-for-12 (.417) with a home run and three doubles.”

D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings

  1. UCLA Bruins
  2. LSU Tigers
  3. Texas Longhorns
  4. Mississippi State Bulldogs
  5. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
  6. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
  7. TCU Horned Frogs
  8. Arkansas Razorbacks
  9. Auburn Tigers
  10. North Carolina Tar Heels
  11. Oregon State Beavers
  12. Florida Gators
  13. Tennessee Volunteers
  14. Georgia Bulldogs
  15. Louisville Cardinals
  16. Florida State Seminoles
  17. NC State Wolfpack
  18. Kentucky Wildcats
  19. Clemson Tigers
  20. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
  21. Oklahoma Sooners
  22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
  23. Miami Hurricanes
  24. Texas A&M Aggies
  25. West Virginia Mountaineers

Baseball America 2026 Preseason Top 25

  1. UCLA Bruins
  2. LSU Tigers
  3. Mississippi State
  4. Georgia Tech
  5. Auburn Tigers
  6. North Carolina Tar Heels
  7. Texas Longhorns
  8. TCU Horned Frogs
  9. Georgia Bulldogs
  10. Arkansas Razorbacks
  11. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
  12. Florida State Seminoles
  13. Tennessee Volunteers
  14. Virginia Cavaliers
  15. Oklahoma Sooners
  16. Ole Miss Rebels
  17. Oregon State Beavers
  18. Clemson Tigers
  19. NC State Wolfpack
  20. West Virginia Mountaineers
  21. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
  22. Texas A&M|
  23. Miami Hurricanes
  24. Florida Gators
  25. Kentucky Wildcats

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Published
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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