STARKVILLE — “It means everything.”
Bryce Chance didn’t mince words when talking about his team’s chance at glory at a press conference on Tuesday.
Once a fan, now a veteran player, Chance and the Bulldogs are headed back to the postseason after a roller-coaster season.
“That’s why you come to Mississippi State and play on this stage,” he continued, “to make it to the postseason and see what you can do from there. Everyone is really excited in the clubhouse.”
MSU (34-21, 15-15 SEC) suffered a 9-0 defeat to Texas A&M in Hoover last week, ending its SEC Tournament run before it could begin, but now has a regional to prepare for with a matchup against Northeastern in the Tallahassee Regional, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Though the Bulldogs were disappointed with the early exit at the SEC Tournament, it was the first time since the season began that they felt an opportunity to reset. Parker said the Bulldogs benefited from some time to catch their breath after a midseason coaching change and a rigorous SEC schedule.
“When we got back from Hoover, it felt like we’d been grinding for a month straight,” interim head coach Justin Parker said on Tuesday. “I gave them several days off, we got back in the weight room on Saturday, (had a) light workout Sunday, and of course yesterday, seeing where we’re going and who we’re playing gave us a better idea of how to prep this week. We had a pretty intensive practice yesterday, and we’ll do the same today.”
“It feels good, but it doesn’t change much in our heads,” senior shortstop Sawyer Reeves said. “We’re going at it with everything we’ve got regardless of the situation or whatever team we’re playing.”
Reeves transferred to MSU from The Citadel for the chance to play meaningful postseason baseball, and though the trip hasn’t always been straightforward, he and his teammates have the chance to make some noise.
The Bulldogs lost in the Charlottesville Regional against hosts Virginia last year, something Chance remembers as a lost opportunity, and the team is intent on making the most of their shot this year.
“The excitement is definitely there,” Reeves said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to play postseason ball. Just watching it is fun, but to take part in it and hear from the guys who have been there and done it, that excitement is there. Like (Chance) said, you’ve got to channel it the right way. Don’t force anything to happen, let the game come to you and let it fall how it may.”
Scouting State’s opponents
Florida State is a worthy host for the regional round, with two of the best players in the country in slugger Alex Lodise and lefthanded pitcher Jamie Arnold. The Bulldogs, however, have another team to worry about before any potential matchup with the Seminoles, a Northeastern Huskies team that has likely flown under the radar for most Mississippi State fans.
Parker called Northeastern a “very complete, well-coached, hard-nosed” team that presents a unique challenge as the first opponent on Friday night. The Huskies (48-7, 25-2 Coastal) are on a remarkable 27-game winning streak and boast one of the best staffs in the country with a Division I-best 2.92 team ERA, three starters with nine or more wins, including ace Will Jones, who sports an 11-0 record across 69 innings in 14 starts.
Offensively, Northeastern has six lineup regulars with 30 or more RBI, four with a .300 or better batting average and three with double-digit home runs. They have the firepower on the mound and at the plate to give any team trouble, and it’s not a matchup the Bulldogs are overlooking in their preparation for the weekend.
“On paper, it’s one of the most complete teams in the country,” Parker said of the Huskies. “They defend at an incredibly high level. They pitch and make you earn everything, it’s a deep pitching staff. Sometimes you face a mid-major team, and they’ll have four or five. These guys are 10-12 guys deep, and it’s really good stuff. We’ll have our hands full with them.”
The Seminoles lead off the weekend with an afternoon game against Bethune-Cookman, with the winner of that game taking on either MSU or Northeastern on Saturday.
It’s a tall task for the Bulldogs to emerge from the weekend and make a Super Regional trip, but it’s on par with the obstacles the team has faced this season. The team has been in playoff mode since Parker took over but finds itself in familiar territory – the opportunity to earn a shot at Omaha.
“There’s no other team in college baseball that’s had to go through what we’ve had to go through,” Chance said. “Being able to lean on each other that much more is something that’s really important for us.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
