Newcomers abound during the Bulldogs’ home series victory

What do Mississippi State baseball players Amani Larry, Colton Ledbetter, Dakota Jordan, Bryce Chance, Ross Highfill, Landon Gartman, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Bradley Loftin, Tyson Hardin and Aaron Nixon all have in common?

Those are newcomers that were getting their first opportunities to help the Bulldogs during the VMI series on opening weekend.

MSU captured the series after rallying for a 9-3 Sunday victory, but there were many teachable moments.

With so many players getting their feet wet in Starkville, State head coach Chris Lemonis knows that much of this early season will be a learning experience.

“They are all new,” Lemonis said. “There is a pressure on them a little bit. There are so many transfer guys, new guys and pitchers. I think they learned a lot about themselves and even the guys that went out there (Saturday) that didn't play great, I think they learned a lot. Playing here and playing in front of a big crowd, you have to get used to it. You've got to be able to understand that and embrace it.”

MSU defeated VMI 11-2 on Friday, then suffered a disappointing 14-13 loss on Saturday before getting back on track Sunday.

Lemonis said it was just the type of test that the Bulldogs needed to open the season.

“Losing is one thing, but losing when you are up 10-1 at home, that's a hard one,” Lemonis said about the middle game. “I told our kids from the get-go that we're going to be tested. We needed a game like this (Sunday). We needed a tough, hard-nosed game and (VMI) played well. They didn't give us anything. We had to earn

Mississippi State women’s basketball seniors Anastasia Hayes (0), Ahlana Smith (1), Asianae Johnson (3) and Kourtney Weber (11) were recognized during a senior day ceremony before Sunday’s game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Humphrey Coliseum. A fifth senior Jessika Carter was ill and was not able to participate. She will take a bow on Thursday before the home game against Arkansas. (Photo by Kevin Snyder, MSU Athletics, for Starkville Daily News) the team to push the lead out in the first half as Jerkaila Jordan had nine points in the first quarter in what was a 17-11 lead and she made it 14 at the half when MSU was able to extend that lead to 3518 at the break.

“Missouri definitely didn't leave a good taste in our mouth and we knew that we couldn't let Missouri beat us twice,” Smith

said. The only way to do that was to practice hard all week, come out (Sunday), execute and put everything into play. I feel like everyone was on the same page and I feel like we fully executed.”

Alabama came out of the locker room with a 6-0 run in the first 2 minutes to cut that lead down to 11 points, but the game might have been won the rest of that third frame. Over the course of the final nearly 8 minutes of the third quarter, MSU gave up just four points and the Bulldogs were able to

extend the lead to 47-28 going into the last quarter.

The lead got to as much as 21 points in the fourth quarter and that was enough to make sure that MSU held off a late rally.the Tide went on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 54-43 with 2:30 left. Smith put it away with a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs one of their best wins of the year.

Doing it without Carter was the most impressive thing for MSU. Jordan went off for 24 points in the game hitting the 20-point threshold for the fourth

time in the last six games and tying her season high. She was 10of-15 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range while hauling in six rebounds. She also had four steals and three blocks.

“I did it for our seniors,”jordan said. “Going out there and playing with a smile on my face and keeping them uplifted, hopefully this was a day that they can look back on and remember on senior day.”

Smith came through with another good game as well for the Bulldogs with 15 points on 6-of11 and 3-of-5 from 3-point territory

and she had four rebounds. Asianae Johnson had seven points and five assists and Ramani Parker had five points and 10 rebounds in Carter's absence.

With the win, State is now 19-8 for the year and 8-6 in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs moved to 13-2 at home which is the most home wins since 2018-19. Most importantly, MSU got its second Quad I win of the year which gets the team closer to an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since that 2018-19 season.

A win on Thursday night against Arkansas in the home finale could do the trick. Playing at home gives the team the most confidence.

“It would be my first time going to the tournament so I'm grateful,” Jordan said of the possibility of postseason. “We're going to keep it one game at a time and not look too far ahead. This is just one win closer to the tournament and we're going to keep the goal the same.”