Mississippi State Advances To College World Series Finals

Image credit: Mississippi State righthander Landon Sims (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics)

OMAHA – For just the second time in the proud history of Mississippi State baseball, the Bulldogs will play for the national championship.

The Bulldogs clinched their finals appearance with a 4-3 win against Texas that was emblematic of their season. Powerful righthanders Will Bednar and Landon Sims quieted the Longhorns offense, holding them to four hits. Veteran outfielders Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan each collected two hits.

In the end, Mississippi State found a way in the ninth inning. Kellum Clark started the rally with one out when he was hit by a pitch. Pinch runner Brayland Skinner stole second base to get into scoring position. Shortstop Tanner Leggett, who in the seventh inning entered the game as a defensive replacement, laced the ball into left center to send Skinner home and the Bulldogs into a frenzy.

Leggett has made just four postseason appearances for the Bulldogs, mostly as a defensive replacement. But he said he wanted the opportunity and when he got it, he made it count.

“I had a couple guys come up to me in the dugout and tell me that I was going to get a chance to win it,” Leggett said. “I had a chance for a big hit a couple nights ago but ground out to third. Kept my head up and said my little prayer and when Bray got the bag stolen, I knew if I got a pitch to hit, I would be short to it, and I did, thank the Lord.”

Mississippi State, like most teams at this stage of the season, has a clear set of regulars. But in the CWS, the Bulldogs have dug deeper into their bench for players like Leggett and Josh Hatcher, who haven’t gotten regular at bats, and deep into its bullpen beyond the first couple options.

Coach Chris Lemonis said they have been able to do that because of the buy in from the players and the team chemistry.

“We did it the other night against Virginia and we’ve done it all year long,” he said. “I just told them in the dugout it’s going to take all of us, all of us together to keep winning here.”

It also has taken strong performances from Mississippi State’s stars. Bednar on Saturday wasn’t as good against Texas as he was six days ago when he struck out 15 batters in six scoreless innings, but he delivered a quality start and turned the ball over to Sims with the game tied at three in the seventh. Sims, Mississippi State’s All-American relief ace, struck out four batters in 2.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one base runner (a hit batter).

Sims has pitched in all three of Mississippi State’s wins in Omaha. In seven innings, he has held opponents to one run on three hits and no walks, striking out 11 batters.

“He just fights so much out there, and that’s what you need this time of year is being able to get some guys out there that can pitch in the moment and make pitches,” Lemonis said. “He’s been that guy all year for us.”

Now, Mississippi State must turn its attention to a finals showdown against Vanderbilt. The two teams met in Nashville during the regular season, with the Commodores taking two of the three games. That series was two months ago, however, and much is sure to be different on the bigger stage of TD Ameritrade Park.

Vanderbilt is the reigning national champion. If Mississippi State is to win its first ever national championship, it will have to go through one of the best programs in college baseball.

“Like I told our guys last night, for Mississippi State to win there, you have to earn it,” Lemonis said. “Playing Vanderbilt, one of the top if not the top program in college baseball the last five years, we have to go against the best and that’s the way we want it.”

Mississippi State has reached this stage of the CWS just once before, in 2013. That year, the Bulldogs fell to UCLA in a pitching-oriented series.

Now, the Bulldogs will try to go one step further and win their first national championship. With the confidence and clutch performances they’ve played with this week in Omaha, they are well positioned as they play for their ultimate goal.

“It would mean everything, to us, to the school, to the city, I think it would mean the world,” Sims said. “I think we have a really good shot to do it right here.”