Hunter Stovall had a lot to learn in the spring.
The sophomore second baseman was part of a group of returning players that was adjusting to Mississippi State first-year head baseball coach Andy Cannizaro and a new hitting approach.
Stovall’s adjustment required an added dimension because Cannizaro places more importance on the No. 9 hole in the lineup and he picked Stovall to hit in that spot. Cannizaro’s decision forced Stovall, who was accustomed to hitting at the top of the order, to alter his approach.
Then Stovall had to learn how to be hurt.
A hamstring injury and a broken hand were the first significant injuries Stovall faced in his baseball career. They also were the first injuries that forced him to miss prolonged action.
But the numbers don’t suggest the injuries have affected his production.
Stovall has played in fewer games (38) than other MSU regulars, but his 313 batting average shows he has been one of the team’s most consistent offensive players.
At 6 tonight, Stovall will try to extend a six-game hitting streak when No. 2 seed and No. 20 MSU (36-24) takes on No. 3 seed South Alabama (39-19) in Game 2 of the NCAA tournament’s Hattiesburg Regional at Pete Taylor Park.
Stovall’s secret for staying consistent is simple.
“It’s a mental thing,” he said. “When the physical part of your game can’t be in it, you still have to be in it mentally.”
Still, there were times where the injuries made daily life difficult. The hamstring injury left Stovall with a bruise just above his knee that was significantly
larger than a softball. Stovall said the pain — which he attempted to play through — kept him from simple activities like jogging. He also said the injury made it tough to get comfortable in bed at night.
Eventually, Stovall found the sweet spot.
“I’d go stand in bullpens when pitchers are throwing. I’d take ground balls on my knees. You just have to keep in the game,” Stovall said.
That always wasn’t enough.
When MSU assistant coach Will Coggin has missed games to be on the road recruiting, Stovall has taken Coggin’s place as the first-base coach. As Cannizaro said at the time, the move helped Stovall get rid of nervous energy.
“He moves a million miles an hour in the dugout the whole time, so finally we just said, ‘Hey, go coach first base. Go burn some energy out there,’ ” Cannizaro said after the Ole Miss series.
The hamstring injury kept Stovall from games against Marist, Columbia, and others, but he never missed more than three games in a row. The first time he missed a stretch that size was a 12-game stretch that included eight conference games. He returned for the Kentucky series and had four hits, five runs scored, and an RBI on Super Bulldog Weekend. The spree raised his batting average from .289 to .327.
“Baseball is thinking. If you stay consistent with your thinking and your approach, you’ll be fine,” Stovall said.
Stovall proved the point again later in the season when he missed five games in late March to early May with a broken hand. Stovall, who is playing with the broken hand, hasn’t missed a game since returning to the lineup May 12. His batting average has slipped only .02 to .313.
If Cannizaro stays with the lineup he used at the SEC tournament, Stovall will continue to hit in the No. 4 spot.
NOTE: Less than 24 hours removed from being named a USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, Brent Rooker was named a National Player of the Year and First Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on Thursday.
On May 22, Brent Rooker was named the school’s first SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-SEC performer.
The Germantown, Tennessee, native is hitting .404 with 21 home runs, a program-record 29 doubles, and 76 RBIs. His 90 hits is the most by a Bulldog since Adam Frazier tallied an NCAA-best and school-record 107 hits in 2013.
In addition to being named a Golden Spikes Semifinalist and Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist, Rooker was awarded the C Spire Ferriss Trophy as the best player in the state of Mississippi.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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