Categories: College University AthleticsCollege/University News

Mississippi State Baseball Sweeps Missouri in Final Series

Mississippi State baseball team in action during a game against Missouri

News Summary

Mississippi State baseball completed a commanding sweep over Missouri, winning all three games with impressive margins. This series marks a significant turnaround for the Bulldogs who secured their first road series sweep since their national championship. With standout performances from players and a strong finish to the regular season, Mississippi State is now set to enter the SEC tournament as the No. 11 seed. The team is looking to build on their recent momentum to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Starkville, Mississippi – Mississippi State baseball completed a commanding sweep over Missouri in their final regular season series held from May 17, 2025. The Bulldogs secured victories in all three games, with margins of dominance reflected in final scores of 25-7, 13-3, and 12-1. Notably, Games 2 and 3 ended under run-rule conditions after just seven innings, marking an impressive performance by Mississippi State.

This series sweep is significant as it represents the Bulldogs’ first road series sweep since their national championship win in 2021. With this successful outing, Mississippi State completed the regular season with an overall record of 34-20, balancing their Southeastern Conference (SEC) play at 15-15. The team’s performance has earned them the No. 11 seed for the upcoming SEC tournament, where they are set to face No. 14 Texas A&M, whose record stands at 28-25 and 11-19 in SEC games, on May 20 at 8 p.m. at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Alabama.

The Mississippi State program has seen a noteworthy turnaround since the dismissal of coach Chris Lemonis on April 28. Under the guidance of interim coach Justin Parker, the Bulldogs have achieved a strong record of 9 wins and 1 loss, including four victories by the run-rule. Emphasis has been placed on playing complimentary baseball, which has been reflected in their offensive and defensive strategies.

The first game against Missouri was particularly remarkable, as Mississippi State scored a staggering 25 runs—the highest total for the team in a single game since 2010. The Bulldogs also set a new program record by hitting eight home runs during this game. The team is now just one home run shy of breaking its single-season record, with a total of 97 home runs thus far.

A standout performer in the series was senior first baseman Hunter Hines, who hit four home runs and secured the record for career home runs in Mississippi State’s program. Sophomore third baseman Reese also had an exceptional series, batting 8-for-12 with four home runs, six RBIs, 11 runs, and five walks. He leads the SEC in total bases with 154 and in slugging percentage at .759 for the season.

Another positive note for Mississippi State was the return of freshman pitcher Charlie Foster, who made a comeback from injury and pitched a scoreless inning against Missouri after being sidelined since March 16. However, the series was not without concerns, as three players, including starting left fielder Gehrig Frei and reserve outfielder Aaron Downs, suffered injuries during the games. Frei and Downs were game-time decisions for Games 2 and 3, while starting catcher Joe Powell did not appear in the injury report for the final game.

On the other hand, Missouri concluded its dismal season with a record of 16-38, including a disappointing 3-27 in SEC play, marking the worst record in modern SEC history since the adoption of the 30-game schedule in 1996. The defeat to Mississippi State marked Missouri’s 14th run-rule loss of the current season. The Tigers struggled throughout the series, yielding 14 runs in the first inning over the three games. In the finale, they employed six different pitchers, with Josh McDevitt suffering a loss after allowing six earned runs in just two outs of pitching.

Mississippi State’s strong finish to the regular season and the potential of making a second consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament are promising developments for the program, as they prepare to head into the SEC tournament.