All was right yet again, at least for the most part, for baseball fans across Mississippi as opening weekend on the diamond was an overall success for Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss.
Below, you can find a quick recap of each team’s series, scores from each game, plus the biggest moments that once more reflected the state of Mississippi as a force when it comes to college baseball.
No. 18 Mississippi State vs. Manhattan
Mississippi State handled Manhattan exactly like an SEC team playing an MAAC team should, outscoring the Jaspers 35-5 over three games. The first two, played on Friday ahead of expected severe weather on Saturday in Starkville, were all Bulldog as Chris Lemonis’ group run-ruled Manhattan in both. A clean Sunday made for a clean sweep to begin nonconference play – something Mississippi State fans might find assurance in after an underwhelming nonconference outing a year ago.
Scores
- Game one: Mississippi State 17, Manhattan 3 (7)
- Game two: Mississippi State 13, Manhattan 1 (7)
- Game three: Mississippi State 5, Manhattan 1
Impact players
- OF Aaron Downs (.571 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB)
- OF Bryce Chance (.556 AVG, 2 2B, 2 RBI)
- DH Noah Sullivan (.500 AVG, 7 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI)
- 1B Hunter Hines (.455 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
- LHP Pico Kohn (5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 11 K)
- RHP Stone Simmons (3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 5 K)
Big moment
In the fourth inning of Friday’s opener, Aaron Downs hit his first home run in a Mississippi State jersey. The long ball that landed 368 feet later knocked in three runs and propelled the senior into a career weekend at the plate.
3-run bomb for Aaron Downs!
📺 » https://t.co/xC0juY0BdV#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/lFq5gSU9hg
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) February 14, 2025
Ole Miss in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown
Ole Miss easily had the toughest of slates this weekend, partaking in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. A round-robin gathering of sorts, the Rebels began the weekend against No. 21 Arizona. Taking advantage of missed opportunities by the Wildcats, paired with a big home run off the bat of freshman Isaac Humphrey, Mike Bianco’s group scored the opening-day upset. Within 24 hours, the team was run-ruled by No. 19 Texas. But a redemption Sunday saw Ole Miss land on the other side of a run rule against No. 15 Clemson.
Scores
- Game one: Ole Miss 2, Arizona 1
- Game two: Texas 10, Ole Miss 0 (7)
- Game three: Ole Miss 15, Clemson 5 (7)
Impact players
- 2B Luke Hill (.556 AVG, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
- LF Ryan Moerman (.364 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI)
- LF Judd Utermark (.300 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB)
- DH Hayden Federico (.600 AVG, 3 H, 1 2B)
- LHP Hunter Elliott (5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 K)
- RHP Will McCausland (3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 K)
Big moment
Luke Hill played an integral role in the Rebels’ game-one victory over Arizona, so it was fitting that his efforts, in part, led the way for a dominant game-three win over Clemson to stamp a successful weekend overall on the diamond. After Will McCausland took the mound in the bottom of the fourth inning to work Ole Miss out of a jam and stave off comeback efforts by the Tigers, Hill knocked a no-doubter over the left field wall to give his club an 11-4 lead in the top of the sixth and make for his second home run of the day.
ANOTHER ONE‼️
Watch the action now on @FloCollege ➡️ https://t.co/kpEqaRQc0Y@Luke_Hill22 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/A5cTaVnO9e
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 16, 2025
Southern Miss vs. Lafayette
Like Mississippi State, Southern Miss did exactly as it should have against a historically lesser opponent. The Golden Eagles out of the Sun Belt found a four-game sweep over the Jaguars, outscoring the Patriot League team 39-13. The only game that had fans on the edge of their seats was the first of Saturday’s double-header when Southern Miss walked it off in 10 innings.
Scores
- Game one: 9-2
- Game two: 7-6 (10)
- Game three: 18-4
- Game four: 5-1
Impact players
- SS Ozzie Pratt (.500 AVG, 7 RBI, 1 HR, 2 2B, 5 R)
- LF Davis Gillespie (.313 AVG, 8 RBI, 2 HR, 2 2B)
- 3B Drey Barrett (.385, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 3 BB)
- 1B Matthew Russo (.333, 5 RBI, 3 2B, 4 R)
- RHP Matt Adams (6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 9 K)
- LFP Grayden Harris (5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 K)
Big moment
Each of the first two contests at Pete Taylor Park wasn’t decided until the late innings. In the opener, the Golden Eagles blew the door down with an 8-run frame in the eighth to all but seal the win. In game two, a slow offensive start for the black and gold required late-game heroics from sophomore left fielder Davis Gillespie. He obliged with a 7th-inning three-run home run to put Southern Miss ahead by a single run. After a late long ball pushed the game to extras, Gillespie again came through with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙈𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏.#EverythingMatters | #SMTTT pic.twitter.com/yNZaLrwSJe
— Southern Miss Baseball (@SouthernMissBSB) February 15, 2025
What’s next
All three clubs return to the diamond on Tuesday.
Ole Miss will play their home opener at Swayze Field against Sun Belt foe Arkansas State. The game will be aired on SEC Network+ with first pitch set for 4 p.m. CT.
Meanwhile, No. 18 Mississippi State and Southern Miss will lock horns for the pair’s first midweek showdown of the season. First pitch inside Pete Taylor Park is set for 6 p.m. CT, with the contest airing on ESPN+.
