UnderDawgs

By Justin Raley, Senior Baseball Analyst

Mississippi State. The baseball program which experienced some of the biggest ups and downs of any baseball season. They came into the season with some of the biggest hype around any baseball team. They were expected to be one of the best teams in the nation as they were ranked number 12 in D1 College Baseball’s preseason polls. The season started and they were swept by Southern Miss. Following that, rumors struck that their coach, Andy Cannizaro, had an affair with a university employee. He was then fired. Not only did they just lose their coach, but due to construction not being finished on their new stadium, they had to play their first 12 games on the road. 29 games into the season the Bulldogs had a record of 14-15 and were 2-7 in the SEC. It looked as all hope had been lost, until they went 12-5 and swept Arkansas and Florida to end the year. A new hope had been found. The Dawgs had found their swing and momentum had joined their side.

Postseason strikes and Mississippi State earns a berth into the Tallahassee regional. They lose the opening game to Oklahoma and it seems all hope is lost when they go down by 2 in the elimination game against Florida State. 2 walks, followed by a walk off 3 run home run in the 9^th surges this ballclub to 3 straight wins. The Dawgs advance to the Super Regional, setting up a matchup versus the Vanderbilt Commodores. Vandy, one of the biggest powers in all of college baseball. For the Road Dawgs (as they call themselves during road games) to go into Nashville and beat the Commodores was highly unlikely, to say the least. They win Game 1 on a walk off homer from none other than, Elijah MacNamee (the same one who hit the walk off to beat Florida State). Vandy answered back with a walk-off of their own to win Game 2. The craziness continued into Game 3 as it took 11 innings to find out who would advance to Omaha. An RBI double by Tanner Allen gave the Dawgs the lead, and they didn’t look back. They followed up with two more runs, leading to a joyful Mississippi State dog pile to celebrate their Cinderella-story season.

Now Mississippi State must continue this run. They have made it to Omaha, and now they will look to walk away as National Champions. Even if this doesn’t happen though, the Bulldogs have overcome numerous bumps in the road and will – no matter what – end this season not just as Underdawgs, but OmaDawgs.