STARKVILLE — With a trip to California looming, John Cohen wants the Mississippi State baseball team focused on the game at hand.

Later this week, the MSU coach will take his team to Los Angeles for games against No. 14 UCLA, Southern California, and Oklahoma, but before that happens, No. 24 MSU (6-2) will play host to Alcorn State (1-7) at 4 p.m. today (SEC Network+).

After winning four games against the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Nicholls State last weekend, Cohen wants his team to remain focused prior to its first road trip of the season.

“That’s something we’ve talked a lot about and to their credit this weekend, I didn’t hear one person talking about a trip to California,” Cohen said. “All of our kids were really focused in on the task at hand.”

MSU is expected to start junior left-handed pitcher Vance Tatum (0-0, 3.00 ERA) today. Alcorn State, whose win came against Southern U. on opening weekend, hasn’t announced a starting pitcher.

Outside of losses to Florida Atlantic, MSU hasn’t played a team that looks like a NCAA tournament contender. That will change this weekend, which is why the Bulldogs are eager for the challenges.

“I think it’s going to be a good test, but we view our opponents the same every time we go into a game,” junior center fielder Jacob Robson said. “We are playing against ourselves really, and the team in the other dugout doesn’t matter too much other than a couple scouting report adjustments we have to make, if necessary. We’re going to go out there and play hard no matter who is in the other dugout. We’re not afraid of anybody.”

After going 2-2 in the first weekend, MSU beat UMass Lowell 4-2 in both games and defeated Nicholls State 5-0 and 8-0. Junior right-hander Dakota Hudson, junior right-hander Austin Sexton, junior left-hander Daniel Brown, and junior right-hander Zac Houston delivered quality starts to support an offense that scored 21 runs and had 36 hits.

“I think we needed this weekend,” Cohen said. “Last weekend, we just felt out of sync and just didn’t play our best baseball. I think we got a lot done this weekend, and we sorely needed to put some things together.”

The wins gave the Bulldogs confidence they hope to bring into this weekend’s games.

“As an athlete, nothing’s better than winning,” Robson said. “Even last weekend when we took those losses early in the year, I don’t think our confidence changed. I think we’re a great group in that aspect, a bunch of hard-working guys and we’re going to have some more wins this year.”

Last season, MSU lost to Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-2 in a mid-week game after winning its first 13 games. The Bulldogs went 11-29 following the loss. Cohen doesn’t want that to happen again, so he has encouraged his players not to overlook Alcorn State. He will rely on captains Robson, Hudson, and Brent Rooker and other upperclassmen to set the tone.

“Your older kids lead and the younger kids are experiencing everything for their first time,” Cohen said. “You have to have older kids who can step forward and bridge that gap for you.”

n In related news, MSU stayed at No. 24 in Baseball America’s poll, at No. 20 in D1Baseball.com’s poll, and at No. 22 in Perfect Game’s poll.

MSU moved from No. 24 to No. 19 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll and entered the Collegiate Baseball poll at No. 23.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.