STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s baseball team left Starkville on Thursday morning bound for Athens, Georgia, where they will face Georgia in a super regional series with a trip to the College World Series at stake, according to head coach Brian O’Connor.
Before entering Georgia, the team made a planned 30-minute stop at Buc-ee’s, a popular gas station and convenience store chain. O’Connor said the team requested the stop, which was initially denied earlier in the season but granted after their recent success.
“They’ve been craving to go to Buc-ee’s all year,” O’Connor said. “They wanted to go on the way to Hattiesburg from Dallas, but I told them they didn’t earn Buc-ee’s then. They earned it after this past weekend.”
Mississippi State secured a perfect 3-0 run in the Starkville Regional, outscoring opponents 39-11 and never trailing in the tournament. The Bulldogs now aim to return to Omaha for the first time since their 2021 national championship season.
The Bulldogs face a challenging opponent in Georgia, which swept MSU in four games during the regular season. However, O’Connor noted that teams often perform differently in postseason matchups.
He emphasized the importance of playing loose and enjoying the moment. “You can’t play this game tense. When you enjoy it more, I believe you perform better,” he said. “They’ve earned the right to be here, and I want them to trust their work and have fun.”
MSU’s journey to Omaha is reminiscent of past seasons, including the softball team’s recent first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series, buoyed by a broccoli-themed rally. Now, the baseball team aims to advance with a beaver nuggets boost.
