Cowbell Corner

Pitching strategy in spotlight as SEC Tournament begins

Depth of pitching staffs take center stage as Mississippi State faces Texas A&M in the SEC Baseball Tournament opener in Hoover, Ala.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State's Ryan McPherson (28) pitches during the game between Mississippi State and the University of Memphis at FedExPark in Memphis, Tenn.
Mississippi State's Ryan McPherson (28) pitches during the game between Mississippi State and the University of Memphis at FedExPark in Memphis, Tenn. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In baseball, if the cliché “defense wins championships” is true, then a team’s pitching staff is the first line of that defense.

Sure, the fielding ability of a team is part of that defense, but it doesn’t matter how good the fielders are if the opposing team can’t hit the ball. In tournament baseball, that importance is amplified and how a team uses its pitchers (both starters and bullpen) can have a bigger impact than anything else.

That puts the eight SEC teams competing on the first day of the SEC Tournament in an interesting situation. Most of the teams deployed their “ace” pitcher five days ago and starting Tuesday would be a shorter-than-normal rest for those pitchers.

Should teams go ahead and put forth their best starting pitcher? Or follow their seasonal rotation and start someone else Tuesday?

Based on the starting pitchers announced for Mississippi State (34-20, 15-15 SEC) and Texas A&M (28-25, 11-19 SEC), it looks like they’ll be following the second of those options in some form.

The Bulldogs will send out right-hander Ryan McPherson to start against Texas A&M’s Weston Moss in Tuesday night’s first round SEC Tournament game. Here are their stat lines for the 2025 season:

Texas A&M: RHP Weston Moss: 6-3, 3.35 ERA, 45.2 IP, 49 SO, 17 BB, 17 ER, .215 b/avg.
Mississippi State: RHP Ryan McPherson: 4-0, 3.03 ERA, 32.2 IP, 49 SO, 11 BB, 11 ER, .176 b/avg.

On paper that’s a pretty even matchup. At least until you see the Bulldogs’ have the second-highest batting average amongst SEC teams and the Aggies’ pitching staff is seventh in team ERA. That changes the equation somewhat (in Mississippi State’s favor).

Will that equation be proven correct? We’ll find out late Tuesday nigh in Hoover, Ala.

Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State Initial Injury Report

Mississippi State

Out

C Jackson Owen
RHP Chase Hungate
RHP Gavin Black
RHP JT Schnoor

Texas A&M

Out

IF/OF Gavin Grahovac
RHP Josh Stewart
LHP Shane Sdao

Doubtful

OF Caden Sorrell

DAWG FEED:

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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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