Mitchell approved as Starkville’s football coach

STARKVILLE — It’s official Jamie Mitchell is the man who’s charged with leading Starkville High School football back to prominence. 

News broke a month ago that Mitchell, who compiled a 40-10 record in four seasons at Itawamba Agricultural High School, had been tabbed as Starkville’s coach. 

Tuesday night, the Starkville school board made it official as Mitchell was voted to take over a program coming off back-to-back losing seasons. 

Starkville softball team withstands rally by Columbus

After beating Columbus by the 10-run rule earlier in the season, Starkville High School softball coach Mimi Milling wasn’t expecting the close contest the Lady Jackets got in a rematch Tuesday. 

Starkville evened its Class 6A, District 2 record by holding off Columbus 12-6, denying the Lady Falcons’ bid for their first win of the season.

The Lady Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning and pitcher Jadee Sexton retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

Defense gets revenge in MSU practice

STARKVILLE — Pernell McPhee admitted there was some revenge laid out during Mississippi State’s football scrimmage on Saturday. 

Just one day after being dominated by the offense, the defensive meetings “weren’t pretty,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said following Saturday’s work. 

MSU continues to search for offensive consistency

STARKVILLE – The search for a consistent offense continues for the Mississippi State baseball team entering a Southeastern Conference series at South Carolina.

Mississippi State (14-11, 2-4 SEC) enters the series following a 5-3 loss to Ole Miss at Pearl on Tuesday, a game which the Bulldogs managed just six hits.

The offsensive struggles have seen Mississippi State strike out an SEC-leading 206 times this year.

Hamilton softball team shuts out Columbus

The Hamilton High School softball team bounced back from a loss to Nettleton by shutting out Columbus 11-0 on Thursday.

The Lady Lions had just six hits, but scored five runs on errors, passed balls and wild pitches.

Hamilton (9-8) got a complete game from pitcher Anna Imel, who gave up two hits and struck out six in five innings.

MSU’s Smith hopes to realize his potential

STARKVILLE — The road to fulfilling potential can come with setbacks.

Tobias Smith has taken a pair of detours.

The Mississippi State guard spent his first two seasons in Starkville wondering if he’d get a chance to make good on the potential two coaching staffs have seen in him.

Starkville Academy baseball sweeps Heritage Academy

STARKVILLE — A marathon ensued Wednesday at Volunteer Field, as Starkville Academy and Heritage Academy played a doubleheader of back-and-forth baseball that resulted in the home team taking a pair of much-needed conference wins.

Starkville Academy’s Walker will play soccer at EMCC

STARKVILLE — Heath Walker never wanted to quit playing soccer, so he decided to sign on with Junior Noel’s rebuilding project at East Mississippi Community College.

The Starkville Academy defender/midfielder contemplated the Lions’ offer for nearly two months before signing a National Letter of Intent Wednesday to play in Scooba for the next two years.

Ruling in Sidney case upheld

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s appeal to the NCAA to reduce Renardo Sidney’s punishment fell short Tuesday as the ruling handed down at the beginning of March was upheld.

The original penalty, which stated the Mississippi State men’s basketball signee will lose a year of eligibility and be forced to miss the first nine games of the 2010-11 season, will remain as the The Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee turned down Mississippi State’s appeal of the nine-game suspension.

Sidney, a Jackson native, sat all of the 2009-10 season while the NCAA investigated whether the McDonald’s and Parade All-American received improper benefits while playing high school basketball.

Bulldogs, Rebels will play for Governor’s Cup

STARKVILLE — A dramatic weekend behind them, the Mississippi State baseball team will try to bottle up what went right for it against Georgia when it takes on the University of Mississippi today for the Governor’s Cup in Pearl.

MSU relay teams gear up for tough meet in Texas

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s track teams will try to stand out Wednesday when they invade Austin, Texas, for the 83rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

More than 5,000 high school and college track and field athletes will compete in the nation’s second-largest track meet, which is also one of its most storied events.

Leaving State hard decision for Byrne

STARKVILLE — Until Friday, no one knew just how tough a decision Greg Byrne was faced with in his choice to leave Mississippi State for the University of Arizona.

In his first meeting with the media since announcing Monday that he’d end his two-year run as MSU’s athetic director, Byrne talked about much of what he’d released in a prepared statement earlier in the week.

But as the questions rained down about how hard it was for him to leave MSU after initiating a progressive atmosphere and change in the athletic department, Byrne shed tears and struggled with words to describe the last two years and how comfortable the Starkville community has made he and his family.

Mullen pleased with effort at practice

STARKVILLE — The third day of Mississippi State’s spring practices on Saturday gave the coaches and players the first opportunity to have live contact.

As MSU coach Dan Mullen expected, the crispness was lacking.

Mullen described the workout as “sloppy,” but he admitted he anticipated it with the players’ excitement over the first day of pads and the team installing its base offense.

Fourth inning demise for MSU baseball team

STARKVILLE — A rocky fourth inning and a lack of pop at the plate sent Mississippi State to its fourth Southeastern Conference loss after a late comeback bid fell short Saturday in a 7-4 setback to Georgia.

Mississippi State (13-10, 1-4 SEC) gave up a five-run fourth inning and struggled to string together timely hits, but didn’t cunt on freshman starter Chris Stratton making it to just the fourth inning.

Stratton (2-3) was the losing pitcher, giving up four earned runs on three hits in three innings. He struck out eight batters, but Georgia (9-14, 1-4) took advantage of his location issues and scored two runs off walks in the fourth inning.

MSU football gets work done on windy day

STARKVILLE — Dogged by heavy gusts of wind, coach Dan Mullen was pleased with the second day of the Mississippi State football team’s spring practice.

MSU baseball wants to rebound at home

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State baseball team’s goal this weekend against the University of Georgia will be to guard against the letdown.

Georgia (8-13, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) is at the bottom of the league standings and is in the middle of a six-game losing streak after falling Wednesday to Furman.

Miller eager for his next challenge

M.C. Miller’s move Harrison Central High School in Lyman will come with challenges.

For a program that has had one winning season since 2004-05, the Red Rebels have been known as the school with the state’s largest enrollment but mediocre football team.

MSU baseball shows knack for rallying again

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State baseball team has a thing for the comeback.

For the ninth time this season, MSU overcame a deficit for a victory, this time rallying from a four-run deficit to beat the University of Memphis 7-6 on Wednesday night.

Starkville’s Johnson celebrates birthday with a win

The Starkville High School baseball team didn’t need many hits to win its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Dvision 2, District 4 opener.

Starkville just needed a few timely connections and some help from the Columbus Falcons on Tuesday night. 

Starkville managed just three hits in the district opener for both teams, but it was more than enough for a 7-1 win. 

Byrne to remain until late April

Mississippi State University Athletic Director Greg Byrne, who announced Monday he’ll be leaving the school for University of Arizona, will be on board in Starkville until late April as MSU begins a search for his replacement.