Diamond Dawgs looking to keep hot streak alive on the road against No. 5 Arkansas
With No. 16 Mississippi State in the middle of its best stretch of baseball since winning the National Championship in 2021, there is finally meaningful baseball being played again in May for the maroon and white.
State has won 10 of its last 12 games and taken three-straight series with a visit to No. 5 Arkansas (40-9, 17-7 SEC) on the way this weekend. As good as the run has been in the last three weeks, head coach Chris Lemonis couldn’t hide his frustrations after last Sunday.
The Bulldogs had Alabama on the ropes with a chance to sweep the series and earn the team’s 15th conference win. Instead, it was a less-than-inspiring effort that would see State lost 10-5.
“You’re dealing with 18-22 year olds and they get excited. They went, ‘hey we got the series,’ and they just don’t understand the importance of everything – of taking care of business,” Lemonis said after the series finale. “You’re really making up for (a game) you goofed down the road. I think that’s the hardest part and it’s on me. It’s my job to make sure they’re motivated and understand that, but it is a frustrating day not to come out and be locked in like we should.”
Now State has to refocus and play against one of the toughest home teams in the country in Arkansas. The Razorbacks have won four-straight series against MSU with State being swept in three of those series.
Arkansas has gone 31-2 on the year and has the frontrunner for SEC Pitcher of the Year Hagen Smith (9-0, 1.36 ERA) throwing on Friday night and two other starters in Brady Tygart and Mason Molina each under a 4.00 ERA.
“They can really pitch. They arguably have maybe the best pitcher in the country in Hagen Smith and all three of their starters are really good and they pitch good in the backend,” Lemonis said of the Hogs. “I’m sure they’re really comfortable pitching at home. It’s a veteran offensive group that have won a lot of games and know how to play winning baseball.
“I don’t think they’re putting up two touchdowns every game, but they can move the ball, they have some guys that can hit it out of the park, they play really good defense. They just play winning baseball.”
While not quite producing the numbers as the Razorbacks, State’s transformation on the mound under Justin Parker has been beyond impressive. The Bulldogs have gone from an ERA over 7.00 last season to 4.16 this year.
Khal Stephen (7-3, 2.96) has been strong for State on Friday nights and Jurrangelo Cijntje (7-1, 3.53 ERA) equally as good in recent weeks. Figuring out the third spot has been the challenge for the Bulldogs with Brooks Auger (1-2, 4.13 ERA) throwing the last three weeks to some ups and downs.
At the plate, State is coming together. The Bulldogs have seen players like Logan Kohler and Hunter Hines recently break out with a combined nine home runs in the last two weeks. For guys like Connor Hujsak who have been consistently good all SEC season, it’s a welcomed sign.
“It’s been a good stretch,” Hujsak said. “We’ve just got to keep building and get better every week. It’s going to be a good week of practice and a good opponent on the weekend so we’ve got to get better.”
The Bulldogs are currently projected by multiple outlets to be a Regional host in the NCAA Tournament but State will have to win more games to seal that up.
Taking games on the road at Arkansas is a good place to start and the Bulldogs will try to do it starting Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s game is set for 6 p.m. with Sunday’s first pitch at 2 p.m.
“It’s going to be a great series,” Lemonis said. “Arkansas is one of the top teams in the country and probably number one if they could just play at home. They’ve been really good at their home field, so we have to go up there and get us some.”
