The annual Governor’s Cup between Mississippi State and Ole Miss is here with Trustmark Park in Pearl once again hosting the midweek matchup.
A top-20 battle will unfold as the Bulldogs (34-10, 13-8 SEC) landed at No. 10 and the Rebels (31-14, 11-10 SEC) held tightly to their No. 17 spot in the latest D1Baseball rankings. The two programs will enter the game with a similar goal of getting a late-season résumé boost, though there are a couple of notable differences in each team’s desire to come out on top.
For Mississippi State, a Governor’s Cup win would solidify the Bulldogs’ first 4-0 finish versus their arch-rival since the 2019 season and would be a major statement made by first-year head coach Brian O’Connor.
For Ole Miss, after being swept by its in-state foe at home earlier this season, a win would salvage some of the damage to the team’s pride while also marking a consecutive Governor’s Cup victory. The Rebels won last year’s game 8-7 in extra innings.
Mississippi State leads the all-time Governor’s Cup series 11-6 and has a 271-213 advantage versus Ole Miss overall.
Governor’s Cup start time
First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Governor’s Cup TV and radio info
Tuesday’s game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Colton Martinez on play-by-play and Philip Palmertree serving as color on the call.
For those opting to listen to the ballgame, the Governor’s Cup will be broadcast on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations and through the SuperTalk Mississippi app.
Pitching matchup
For Mississippi State, right-handed hurler Brendan Sweeney (0-0) will get the start. Sweeney, a 6-foot-7 senior from Oklahoma, has a 6.46 ERA with 17 strikeouts and has allowed 15 hits and 11 earned runs across 15.1 innings this season.
For Ole Miss, right-hander Owen Kelly (2-1) will start things off on the mound. Kelly, a junior from Illinois, has a 3.04 ERA with 17 strikeouts and has allowed 15 hits and three earned runs across 17 innings this season.
Both teams are expected to use multiple arms throughout the game.
Players to watch
For Mississippi State, Ace Reese continues to be one of the most feared batters in the SEC as of late. The junior third baseman is hitting .318 with 15 home runs, 53 RBI, and an SEC-best 18 doubles. Noah Sullivan has been another steady force for the Bulldogs. The graduate designated hitter is batting .347 with eight home runs and 36 RBI, while Bryce Chance leads Mississippi State with a .357 average and has struck out only 12 times all season.
For Ole Miss, right fielder Tristan Bissetta has had a hot bat, though he struggled against Georgia this past weekend. The left-handed slugger is batting .329 with 57 hits, nine doubles, 19 home runs, and 51 RBI. Third baseman Judd Utermark is two long balls away from the program record of 48, while boasting a .320 average, 17 homers, and 40 RBI. First baseman Will Furniss is hitting .329 with five home runs, 39 RBI, and a team-best .460 on-base percentage.
