Mississippi State, Georgia Set for Super Regional Showdown in Athens
ATHENS, Ga. — Mississippi State and Georgia are set to meet in the NCAA baseball Super Regional at Foley Field, with the winner advancing to the College World Series. The series begins Saturday at 10 a.m. CT, with Game 2 scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. Both games will air on ESPN, with the date and time of the potential third game to be announced later, according to NCAA officials.
Mississippi State (43-17) enters the series after sweeping the Starkville Regional. The Bulldogs defeated Lipscomb, Cincinnati and Louisiana, outscoring opponents 39-11 and hitting .384 during the regional. Freshman outfielder Jacob Parker was named regional Most Outstanding Player after hitting .700 with three home runs and seven RBIs.
The Bulldogs’ offense has been among the nation’s most potent, batting .317 with a school-record 117 home runs this season. Notable contributors include Parker, Noah Sullivan, Bryce Chance, Gehrig Frei and Ace Reese, who has 22 home runs and 72 RBIs. Mississippi State’s pitching staff posted a 3.33 ERA with 663 strikeouts this season.
Georgia (49-12) boasts a powerful lineup, batting .326 with 165 home runs. The Bulldogs’ offense also features 324 walks and 69 stolen bases in 75 attempts. Georgia will start right-hander Joey Volchko, who is 10-2 with a 3.87 ERA. Mississippi State counters with left-hander Tomas Valincius, who is 11-2 with a 2.99 ERA and 130 strikeouts.
The series rekindles a fierce SEC rivalry, with Georgia holding a 55-53 all-time series lead. Georgia swept Mississippi State in the regular season in Starkville and defeated the Bulldogs in the SEC Tournament. Despite the regular-season setbacks, Mississippi State has postseason history, making its 11th Super Regional appearance and winning five titles since 1999, including in 2021 en route to its first national championship.
First-year coach Brian O’Connor, a former Virginia national champion, is making his 10th Super Regional appearance in 19 NCAA trips. His Bulldogs have reached Omaha 12 times, including six straight decades. A win in this series would send MSU back to the College World Series for the first time since 2021.
For updates, fans can visit www.HailState.com or follow the team on social media under ‘HailStateBB.’
Source: Original Article
