Mississippi’s three major D1 college baseball clubs are now playing in the heart of their respective league schedules, with Mississippi State and Southern Miss each earning series wins while Ole Miss narrowly missed their fourth straight SEC series victory.
Mississippi State (22-14, 5-10 SEC) sorely needed a series win not only for postseason resume purposes but to prove that they can compete against top-half SEC opponents. The weekend started with a bang in Tuscaloosa against No. 12 Alabama (29-8, 8-7 SEC), with the Bulldogs pounding the Tide 13-3 in a mercy-rule shortened win.
After scratching just one run in game two to force a winner-take-all contest Sunday, MSU responded with a dazzling pitching performance against the SEC’s sixth-best run-scoring lineup. The Bulldog pitching staff allowed just two total hits in the finale, earning the team’s second-straight league series win.
The bulk of run production came in Friday’s 10-run win, punctuated by a seven-run top of the fifth inning to put the game out of reach. Sawyer Reeves was the player of the game, going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, and four RBI. Reeves, Ross Highfill, and Ace Reese provided all four runs on Sunday by way of the long ball.
Also of note, Hunter Hines hit his 62nd career home run on Friday to pass Bulldog legend Will Clark for the second most home runs in program history.
Pico Kohn and Stone Simmons each threw four quality innings in the opener, with Simmons being credited with his third win of the 2025 campaign. In the rubber match victory on Sunday, the aforementioned two-hit, one-run effort from the maroon and white came from Karson Ligon, Chase Hungate, and Nate Williams, with Williams earning his first win of the season.
Mississippi State now moves on to host Southern University on Tuesday and the Florida Gators for a three-game set this weekend.
No. 23 Southern Miss (24-12, 10-5 Sun Belt) was also looking for a momentum-boosting weekend after losing six of their last 10 games, including a 10-6 midweek loss to No. 12 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. On the tail end of an eight-game road trip in San Marcos, Texas, the Golden Eagles gutted out a 5-2 win to start the series strong against Texas State.
On Saturday, the black and gold came out swinging and never slowed down, exploding for a 12-1 seven-inning run-rule win to clinch the series. The Golden Eagles’ offense stayed on track in the finale, but the pitching staff lacked the juice to finish off a sweep. Southern Miss surrendered five runs in the final two frames and went on to lose on a walk-off hit batter issued by reliever Josh Och.
Nick Monistere and Carson Paetow each enjoyed multi-home run weekends and combined to drive in 15 of Southern Miss’ 27 total runs. Monistere went 7-for-12 across the three games, leaving the yard three times and driving in 10 RBI. Carson Paetow drove in five runs, notching a two-RBI double and a pair of home runs.
JB Middleton shimmered in his Friday start, tossing seven innings of scoreless baseball along with six strikeouts, moving to 6-1 on the season. True freshman Grayden Harris wasn’t as dominant but was more than effective enough in a five-inning start in which he allowed just one run. And while the pitching faltered in game three, Landen Payne deposited his strongest outing as a Golden Eagle, striking out seven and not allowing a single baserunner in 3.2 innings of middle relief.
Southern Miss stays on the road to take on Southland opponent Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday in Hammond, La., but then will return home to Pete Taylor Park for a weekend series against Georgia State beginning Thursday.
No. 6 Ole Miss had the tallest hill to climb of the trio this weekend, hosting No. 5 Tennessee at Swayze Field. A gut punch loss on Friday began a long, hard-fought weekend, but the Rebels were able to return the favor Saturday in an 8-5 win to force a rubber match against the high-powered Volunteers.
Both clubs flexed their offensive prowess in game three, combining for 18 runs in the series decider. Ole Miss took a late 8-7 lead into the final inning after Luke Hill scored on a Tennessee wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth, but a three-run ninth from Tennessee, highlighted by a go-ahead two-run home run from Reese Chapman, gave the Volunteers the advantage. The deal was sealed on a Hayden Federico ground out after the Rebels put two in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth.
It was an all-hands-on-deck approach at the plate for Mike Bianco’s group this weekend, with five Rebels etching at least one multi-hit game. Austin Fawley led the way, totaling six RBI and homering in each of the three games.
Riley Maddox picked up the lone pitching win for the Ole Miss staff this weekend, improving to 4-2 after five innings in which he allowed two runs and punched out five Tennessee batters. Mason Morris had the most impressive outing on the mound, holding the Volunteers scoreless and striking out eight in five innings of relief work in Friday’s loss.
Up next, Ole Miss will square off with Little Rock on Tuesday before heading to Columbia, S.C. for a road SEC series starting Thursday.
