Bulldogs use pitching, defense to down Southern Miss 3-0 in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Pitching. Defense. Timely hits.

The formula had escaped Mississippi State’s baseball team in the past two weeks, when it dropped four of five games, sweated out the final day of the regular season for a Southeastern Conference tournament berth and went 0-2 in Hoover.

Friday, the Bulldogs returned to its blueprint in its biggest game of the season, toppling rival Southern Mississippi 3-0 in a NCAA tournament regional game in Atlanta.

NCAA Regional postgame: MSU v Southern Miss

GAME 1

MSU 3 , Southern Miss 0

—Bulldogs face winner of Georgia Tech-Austin Peay at 7 p.m. Saturday.

—Southern Miss faces loser of Georgia Tech-Austin Peay at 3 p.m. Saturday

Cowbell compromise extended

DESTIN, Fla. — The cowbell is safe in Davis Wade Stadium for another year.

Today, Southeastern Conference school presidents voted in favor of extending the ammended artificial noisemaker policy by another year to allow Mississippi State fans to bring cowbells in to Davis Wade Stadium and ring them at designated times.

MSU director of athletics Scott Stricklin wouldn’t divulge how the voting breakdown but said there was “overwhelming” support for MSU’s longest sporting tradition.

NCAA Regional pre-game: MSU v Southern Miss

—NCAA Regional at Atlanta

No. 3 MSU (34-23, finished second in SEC West) v No. 2 Southern Miss (39-17, C-USA regular-season champion)

Game time: 2 p.m. (CDT)

Broadcast: CSS

USM enters NCAA Regionals bruised

ATLANTA — One day after questions about the Southern Mississippi pitching staff were finalized, injures to a pair of key hitters gained a bit more clarity.

MSU baseball to continue small ball focus

ATLANTA — The Mississippi State baseball team earned a spot in the 2011 NCAA regionals by playing small ball.

MSU’s Thames dismissed from team following marijuana arrest

STARKVILLE — Dennis Thames’ career as a Mississippi State football player is over.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound safety was dismissed from the team Thursday for a violation of team rules.

Thames was arrested May 31 for possession of marijuana and alcohol in a motor vehicle, Winston County corrections warden Tim Palmer said Friday.

USM’s Koelling to play vs. MSU; Doleac questionable

ATLANTA — While Southern Miss’ pitching staff questions were finalized Wednesday, its injury concerns with a pair of key hitters gained a bit more clarity Thursday.

A day head of the Golden Eagles’ NCAA regional game versus Mississippi State in Atlanta, Ferriss Trophy winner Tyler Koelling said he isn’t 100 percent healed from an injured hamstring that saw him miss the Conference USA tournament.

Cohen: Not the time to change styles

ATLANTA — Mississippi State’s baseball team has made its money off playing small-ball this season.

There’s temptation, though, in Russ Chandler Stadium, the site of the Bulldogs NCAA regional game against rival Southern Miss at 2 p.m. (CDT) today.

The right-center gap is 353 feet, about 21 feet shorter than the alley at Dudy Noble Field.

For Mississippi State left-handed hitters Jaron Shepherd, CT Bradford and Ryan Collins, the invitation to aim for the fence in right-center will be there.

MSU’s cowbell issue could be near resolution

Mississippi State moved a step closer to extending the Southeastern Conference’s “cowbell compromise” after league coaches and athletic directors voted favorably Wednesday at the league’s annual meetings in Destin, Fla.

The amended artificial noisemaker policy went into effect last year, when the ban on cowbells in Davis Wade Stadium was still in place and MSU faced significant fines for failing to properly police usage.

Routt hopes to go deeper in starts to help Bulldogs

STARKVILLE — No changeup. No problem.

Mississippi State junior pitcher Nick Routt hasn’t had his go-to pitch, which Southeastern Conference coaches have rated as the league’s best the past two seasons, for the entire season.

MSU will go with Pollorena against Southern Miss

STARKVILLE — Luis Pollorena has the hot hand.

The sophomore left-hander, who has shined out of the bullpen and as a starter, will start Friday for the Mississippi State baseball team against Southern Mississippi in the first game of the NCAA tournament’s Atlanta Regional.

MSU baseball to face Southern Miss in NCAA tournament

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State baseball team’s coaches and players knew they were going to get into the NCAA tournament.

But seeing their name Monday on ESPN during the tournamentﾕs selection show was more than confirmation they’d be heading to a regional for the first time since 2007. It was relief.

MSU could face USM team with different look

STARKVILLE — Aside from the fanfare of playing a state rival in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, the Mississippi State baseball team should have an added advantage of having faced Southern Mississippi in the regular season.

MSU’s 5-4 win against Southern Miss on April 5 helped it rebound from being swept at the University of Georgia, and also set the stage for a crucial Game 1 win against Florida on Super Bulldog Weekend.

Cohen busy recuiting for MSU on eve of NCAA tourney

STARKVILLE — On the eve of selection Monday, John Cohen didn’t have the type of weekend fans might expect.

His Mississippi State Bulldogs are a bubble team to make the NCAA’s 64-team field, but he hasn’t been in his office glued to the TV or the internet keeping up with other scores. Instead, Cohen’s been busy recruiting while his players have had the last two days off.

MSU baseball on NCAA bubble, but far from in trouble

STARKVILLE — Despite crashing out of the Southeastern Conference tournament in two games and losing four of its past five games, the Mississippi State baseball team feels it has a strong case to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament.

Cohen knows MSU is better than it showed

HOOVER, Ala. — The Mississippi State baseball team crashed out of the Southeastern Conference on Thursday in large part to self-inflicted mistakes.

Bulldogs get swept away

HOOVER, Ala. — It was over after the first inning.

The Mississippi State baseball team gave up four first-inning runs to the University of Arkansas and lost 7-2 in an elimination game Thursday at the Southeastern Conference tournament at Regions Park.

SEC Tournament Gameday: MSU v Arkansas post-game

GAME 5

No. 2 Arkansas 7, MSU 2

—Bulldogs are eliminated from SEC tournament with second loss in as many days. They’ll await word on an NCAA selection on Monday.

—Arkansas moves on to face the loser of Alabama-Florida at 3 p.m. Friday

WP: DJ Baxendale – 5 IP, 6H, 2ER, 3K, 2BB

LP: Nick Routt – 3 1/3 IP, 8H, 5R, 4ER, 6K, 3BB, 2 WP

Florida’s big blow slams MSU

HOOVER, Ala. — With one swing Wednesday, the University of Florida baseball team erased a three-run deficit and forced Mississippi State into a do-or-die situation at the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Designated hitter Brian Johnson’ grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Florida a one-run lead that it turned into a 7-5 win in the second game of the opening round at Regions Park.