Its 3rd win on a Monday in 2021 was the sweetest of them all, as #3 Mississippi State earned its 12th trip to the College World Series with an 11-7 victory over #4 Notre Dame in front of a packed Dudy Noble Field in the Starkville Super Regional.
The nation’s longest active streak of College World Series appearances reaches three and makes Mississippi State one of just 10 programs to advance to at least three straight CWS since the Super Regional format began in 1999. It is the first time in program history that MSU has reached three straight College World Series.
11,754 packed Dudy Noble Field Monday night, the ballpark’s third crowd of over 11,000 during the Starkville Super Regional. The Dude’s series attendance totaled 40,140, setting the NCAA record for the largest crowd in an on-campus, three-game series.
Mississippi State scored in each of the first 5 innings, with a single run in the first followed by a 6-run 2nd inning. One more in the 3rd, two in the 4th and one in the 5th helped MSU build a 11-5 lead. Notre Dame added two more runs in the 7th to make it 11-7 and put two runners on base with one out in the 9th, before State rolled a double play to end the game.
8 of 9 starters drove in at least one RBI in the game and seven collected hits. Five Diamond Dawgs posted multi-hit games, as Tanner Allen, Brad Cumbest, Scotty Dubrule, Kamren James and Logan Tanner each chipped in two hits. Tanner drove in three RBIs, including his 14th home run of the season. Allen hit his 10th home run of the year, scored two runs and drove in two RBIs. With Allen reaching the 10 home run mark, it is the first Mississippi State team to have 5 hitters reach double digits in home runs in the same season.
Houston Harding made the start and tossed 4 innings of 2-run work in the no decision. He struck out 4 and walked 2, before handing the ball to Stone Simmons and eventually Landon Sims (3-0). Sims picked up the win with 4 innings and 2 runs allowed, to go along with 4 strikeouts. Simmons also struck out two in his one inning of work to give Mississippi State its 48th game in 61 tries with at least 10 strikeouts.
The Bulldogs will now turn their attention to the College World Series later this week. Mississippi State head baseball coach Chris Lemonis, pitchers Houston Harding and Landon Sims, and catcher Logan Tanner all spoke with the media postgame about the win. Video is courtesy of Hail State Athletics.