Mississippi State Baseball has been an odd bird lately. Last year they started out undefeated deep into the season. Climbed all the way to #1 in the nation. Then dove. Like they ran out of gas and the propeller broke and they got filled with lead. They took a nose dive that kept them from even making the SEC Baseball Tournament.
Then they started the 2007 season without many people giving them much credit. Although there were expectations within their own clubhouse, the media picked them to finish LAST in the SEC West. But after a decent non-conference schedule/record the Bulldogs had climbed into the polls and had some good weekend showings against SEC competition. But even with finishing 2nd in the SEC West…it seemed that things were just not clicking. The last few weekend and the two-and-done showing in the SEC Tourney left a lot to question.
Everyone knew they wouldn’t host a regional. Would they even win a game in one? Ouch…they get to go to Florida State. A team with the best home field record in the country. Most figured State would beat Stetson and get beat by FSU. Thankfully none of the players thought so. State went 3-0 winning the regional. And some luck happened when the Dogs were able to host the Super Regional instead of having to travel to Clemson.
Again, most people outside of Mississippi thought that Clemson would have a victory first game w/ one of the top pitchers in the nation (he was just drafted #4 in the first round of the MLB Draft). But after some shaky first innings and a cramping pitcher, Miss State put it together and brought the Clemson Tigers to their knees with a 8-6 win.
Nothing is a given. There is still at least one and maybe two games to be played. But this group of Bulldogs has followed their own dreams despite what a lot of people outside of their dugout thought about their chances. Their ONE GAME AWAY from making it to the Mecca of college baseball….Omaha.
I wonder if Tony and Perry are keeping up?
[tags]Mississippi State, Clemson, CWS, Omaha, college baseball[/tags]
