Play Ball: Mississippi State set for new season with same expectations

There’s always something special about Opening Day.

Everyone enters Friday with a brand-new slate and new energy. For Mississippi State there’s a new energy in the building as the 2021 National Champions have made the slow climb back. The Diamond Dawgs were humbled with two tough seasons after reaching the mountain top and last season was a return to normalcy as they made the postseason.

This year, it’s all about getting back to turning the lights on inside Dudy Noble Field in June. The grandest venue outside of Omaha, Neb., the newest version of the classic baseball stadium was built to host important ball games with the College World Series in view. Coach Chris Lemonis believes this group will give his team that opportunity.

“I’m pretty confident in this group,” Lemonis said. “We’ve had a good spring training and had a good fall. I think we’ve got some nice pieces. We still need to see some guys between the lines on gameday do it, but I like this group a lot.”

As State takes the field on Friday afternoon, the Bulldogs will look a little different than last year’s team. State is set to have a few first time starters in the field and at the plate with some players returning from injury also back to help lead this year. Despite that, Lemonis and many around the program believe the Bulldogs’ offense could be deeper and more effective this year even without David Mershon, Dakota Jordan and Connor Hujsak.

On the mound, State replaces the bulk of its production. MSU lost first-team All-SEC pitcher Khal Stephen and Saturday starter Jurrangelo Cijntje along with key pitchers Nate Dohm, Brooks, Auger, Tyler Davis, Tyson Hardin and others. Second year pitching coach Justin Parker will have his work cut out for him again, but the Bulldogs have plenty of bodies and talent to fill the gaps if it comes together.

“We’re an older team. A lot of our talent is young, but we have a lot of older kids on the ball club,” Lemonis said. “I feel like we’ll pitch it really well – knock on wood – and I think we can do some pretty special things in the lineup. We play in the toughest league in the country so it’s a lot about your talent level but it’s also about your culture, your team and the toughness you play with.”

The Manhattan Jaspers are the first squad on the docket as they come to Starkville for a three-game set this weekend. Manhattan is always fairly competitive in the MAAC but hasn’t had a winning season overall since 2012 and is breaking in the youngest coach in Division I baseball at 29.

For the Diamond Dawgs, it’s about themselves this weekend. It’s a week that begins a journey that is set to last a good four months or longer. This is when Lemonis begins to find out just what his team is made of, and they’ll continue to show it.

Leadership will be key as always and Lemonis hopes he has another group with the type of leadership ability as the one that broke through in 2021.

“It’s just hard to tell because you don’t go through a lot of adversity yet. You found out about your team back then in the tough moments, unfortunately,” Lemonis said. “When you lose to Missouri that kills your chances for an SEC title or you lose two in Hoover and you’re driving home.  That’s when you find out your character piece.

“I like this group. There’s some tough kids in there evolving into leadership roles. The talent is there, but finding out who we are is what we’re going to find out on Friday.”

The season begins at Noon on Friday afternoon with game two moved to Friday 40 minutes following game one. With Saturday scratched due to weather, the Bulldogs and Jaspers will meet on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Junior LHP Pico Kohn is slated to start in game one with senior Karson Ligon in game two and senior RHP Stone Simmons on Sunday.