Chris Lemonis reacts to regular season finale loss to Missouri

Mistakes in the field and on the bases and missed chances with runners on led to Mississippi State dropping game three of the series against Missouri on Saturday.

After the game, Bulldog head coach Chris Lemonis discussed what he saw in the game and State’s hosting chances for the postseason.

Question: How do you describe where you are right now and what’s coming next?

CL: “We’re pissed obviously. You want to win the last game of the season, the series, the whatever. You feel like you kind of gave that one away. I give them credit, their first two guys, really all three guy, were really good. We saw their Friday night starter, their Saturday starter and probably their closer.

“We didn’t do enough. We’ve got to do a better job doing enough. Where we’re at is we’re the fifth team in the SEC and I think we’ve had a really good second half of the SEC and we’re getting some of our guys back. We’re looking forward to the postseason so we’ve got to flush it, move forward and get ready for postseason baseball.”

Q: In a lot of these losses, it seems to be a lot of things that your team isn’t doing well. What are you seeing from your guys there?

CL: “We had a tough fourth inning today. Their guy dives for a ball, gets up and throws a strike. Probably eight times out of 10 he does it, so I don’t really see that one it’s just their guy made a great play. Everybody is like ‘we’ve lost so many close (games)’ yeah because they’re all close. All the games are close. They’re tight. Things happen crazy to end games in SEC baseball. For the most part, that’s happening all across our league. It’s because the talent level is so high.”

Q: Hosting a Regional is something that you’ve talked about wanting for this team. Do you think that you guys are in good position?

CL: “Oh yeah. We finished fifth in the SEC – the hardest league in the country. We have the nicest facility, the biggest attendance. I think we’ve done that, and we have an extra SEC win in the Governor’s Cup and work still to do in the SEC Tournament. I think where we’re at right now, we’ve had years where we’ve had seven or eight host and right now we’re sitting at five. I think we have a great shot. It’d shock me if we didn’t.”

Q: How much does playing in all of the close games prepare you for postseason?

CL: “We’ve been in a lot of them. They make you play tough games. We’ve played in a lot of pressure in front of big crowds. I think it’s prepared us and I think that’s what has chiseled us and made us such a hard-nosed team.”

Q: How is Connor Hujsak?

CL: “He’s progressing every day. He’s doing better. With muscle stuff in his back, you’ve got to make sure he’s 100% if you run him back out there. If he gets hurt again, he’s not going to play again this year so that’s what we’re trying to be careful with.

“Having him not in there the last two weeks has been tough. He’s probably our best SEC player if you look at it statistically. Not having him in there has been tough, but it’s made some other players get going and get some experience.”

Q: The regular season is finished, now do you feel like there’s a refreshment?

CL: “That’s what we talked about in the dugout. Nothing else matters now. Hoover is a tough one in that first game because of pitching matchups and everything else. Getting these guys to Hoover is huge and then preparing for a Regional. You work the entire year to prepare for these next couple of weeks and I like where we’re at.”

Q: You used Nate Dohm against today. What did you think of how he pitched?

CL: “We started him this week and then got an inning out of the pen and were trying to do both. I’d like to use him in Hoover and get him some work, but I thought he looked really good today. Really competitive and had great stuff. That’s probably the best he’s been the last couple of weeks.”

Q: For the veterans, how big is it to know there is more season left?

CL: “I think it’s huge. The Hunter Hines and the Bryce Chances and the guys that have been with us a couple of years, it’s huge for them. Our expectations are Regionals and everything else and I think that they’re locked in and excited for it.”

Q: You got a good couple of innings for Gavin Black. Can he factor into things for you?

CL: “Yeah he’s been pretty good the last couple of weeks. Get him back out there and had a nice slider today. Probably would have gotten him back out there if not for the lightning delay. Probably a little much on him being out there for a couple of innings.”

Q: You have Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament. Does it help with it being the rivalry that they’ll be locked in?

CL: “If you can’t get locked in for the late game in Hoover, I don’t care who you’re playing. I’m sure that park will be packed Tuesday night. We’re all playing for a lot. They’re playing for a lot, we’re playing for a lot, so we’ll have to jump out there and play good baseball. We’ve had three really good games against them this year so we’ll have to go out there and play well.”

Q: What have you seen from Dylan Cupp since he was hurt earlier in SEC play?

CL: “He’s been fighting back from that knee against LSU. He had a good swing today and then after that rain delay we sat him down because he sat around for a little while. Hopefully we can get him back out there. He’s working like crazy, so frustrated. He’s such a great kid that’s super talented. He’s put the work in, you hate to see him not be out there enough.”

Q: What has Michael O’Brien been able to learn from the experience he’s gotten?

CL: “He’s a really good centerfielder. I don’t know if anybody comes close to (robbing the home run) if it isn’t him. These young guys, Ethan (Pulliam), Dylan (Cupp) and Nolan Stevens, they’re getting their feet wet a little bit and at really important times of the year. Hopefully we keep giving them opportunities.”