Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State holds on to beat No. 24 Ole Miss after late-game comeback

The Bulldogs nearly saw a similar script play like they did last month against the Rebels in 2025 Governor's Cup, but decided to write a different ending this time.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs pitcher Karson Ligon after getting a strikeout against the Ole Miss Rebels at Dudy Noble Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
Mississippi State Bulldogs pitcher Karson Ligon after getting a strikeout against the Ole Miss Rebels at Dudy Noble Stadium in Starkville, Miss. | Mississippi State Athletics

Déjà vu doesn’t mean we’re living in a computer simulation, but it is certainly a feeling we’re all familiar with. Especially Mississippi State baseball fans.

In what looked eerily similar to many previous games, including this year’s Governor’s Cup, the Bulldogs saw a multi-run lead slip away when No. 24 Ole Miss scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings. But in a twist-ending that’ll please the Bulldogs’ fans, Mississippi State held on to the lead to win 6-5.

The win gives the Bulldogs (31-20, 11-15 SEC) the series against the biggest rival and guarantees the Rebels (34-17, 14-13 SEC) will fall outside of the top 25 rankings for the first time since the season’s opening weeks.

Saturday’s series finale did resemble Mississippi State’s extra-innings loss to Ole Miss in the 2025 Governor’s Cup. The Bulldogs help multi-run leads at two separate points in the game and ended up losing them both.

The Bulldogs scored all six of their runs in the first five innings and entered the seventh inning with a 6-1 lead. It would take four different Mississippi State pitchers to save the win for starting pitcher Karson Ligon.

Ligon did well, pitching five innings and allowing just one run on three hits and seven strikeouts. But he walked six batters, which never helps a team. In all, Mississippi State pitchers issued 11 walks, one of which was a bases loaded walk that started off the Rebels’ late game scoring run.

Ace Reese was the leader at the plate for the Bulldogs on Saturday, going 3-for-4 with a walk and a pair of RBIs. Gatlin Sanders also had two RBIs in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

Winning two games against Ole Miss makes Mississippi State’s path to the NCAA Tournament a whole lot easier. Considering the Bulldogs’ final SEC opponent just showed it can win SEC games this season, Missouri doesn’t seem like the easy, series sweep candidate they once were.

That series will begin Thursday in Columbia, Mo. but not before Mississippi State hosts its final regular season home (and likely last game at Dudy Noble Field this season, barring something crazy in the NCAA Tournament) against North Alabama. First-pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on SECN+

DAWG FEED:

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.

Home/Baseball