What Stood Out for Mississippi State Baseball in the SEC Tournament

What are some takeaways from the Bulldogs 2-2 week in Hoover?

Connor Hujsak / Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State baseball succeeded in Hoover, including beating a consensus top 5 team in Texas A&M and taking Tennessee down to the wire. The Bulldogs showed they can compete with any team in the country, but there were some negatives. 

 State now awaits their fate, as the host sites will be announced later today. However, before that, what stood out from the Hoover Met? 

Limited

While the Bulldogs played well in Hoover, it is even more impressive that they did so with little to no production from Dakota Jordan and Hunter Hines. The pair only combined for one hit, a two-RBI single from Jordan that gave State a lead over Tennessee. 

However, this trend can not continue if the Bulldogs want to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Both guys do not have to carry this team because others have stepped up around them, but they can not be the automatic out they were in Hoover. 

Clutch

State has struggled in the clutch for most of the season, whether on the mound or at the plate. However, the Bulldogs did well in that aspect in Hoover, largely thanks to Connor Hujsak, who had the game-winning hit against Ole Miss and Texas A&M. 

The bullpen also performed well in clutch moments against Texas A&M as Nate Dohm and Tyler Davis pitched a combined three innings of scoreless baseball. State has taken their lumps this season in clutch moments, but all that adversity seems to have prepared them for the postseason. 

Resiliency 

When Mississippi State won the national title in 2021, the team had a unique ability to come back in games. They did it in the Super Regionals and a couple of games in Omaha. 

The 2024 Diamond Dawgs have proven to be a tough team. They have faced adversity several times this season and always seem to power through. They also showed the ability to respond mid-game, trailing Ole Miss all game until Hujsak hit a walk-off home run.

The Bulldogs jumped to a 3-0 lead on Texas A&M, but the Aggies battled back to tie it. However, MSU stayed the course after they lost momentum, and it paid off as Hujsak gave them a lead in the ninth, and Davis closed it out. 

Even in defeat against Tennessee, the Bulldogs did an excellent job of battling back from a 3-0 deficit to take the lead. The toughest teams succeed in the postseason, and this team showed plenty of it in Hoover. 

Earned 

The Bulldogs came into the week needing at least a win to feel good about their hosting chances. Even though State won two games, including a victory over consensus top-5 team Texas A&M, they are still not a lock to host. 

However, State has earned a chance to host with 16 Quad 1 wins, which is good for the fourth most in the country. The only teams ahead of the Bulldogs in that aspect are locks for a top-8 national seed. 

If MSU does not host, it will be because of their poor record against nonconference opponents, but they have earned the right to host.