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Mississippi State Bulldogs' Sawyer Reeves (2) fields a bouncing ground ball as Auburn Tigers baseball takes on Mississippi State Bulldogs at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mississippi State finds spark: Bulldogs surge into postseason with confidence

Originally posted on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI
By Andy Hodges | Last updated May 18, 2025 9:10 PM ET

STARKVILLE, Miss. — There’s a familiar feeling as Mississippi State baseball enters the 2025 postseason.

Bulldog fans are hoping they've seen this before.

It's a sense that this team, much like some of the program’s most memorable squads, is catching fire at just the right time.

After a turbulent season that saw a mid-year coaching change, the Diamond Dawgs have found their groove, winning nine of their last 10 games and surging into the SEC Tournament as one of the nation’s most dangerous unseeded teams.

All rise.#HailState | @Ford pic.twitter.com/WZicwVDjMj
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 18, 2025

The turnaround began after the dismissal of coach Chris Lemonis, who led the Bulldogs to a national championship in 2021 but could not recapture that magic in subsequent seasons.

Assistant coach Justin Parker was elevated to interim head coach and immediately instilled a fresh energy.

“My message before was 18 innings at a minimum," Parker said. "This is what SEC baseball is. You’ve got to ride the waves. When you’re hot, you’ve got to take advantage of it.

“Credit our guys, they battled all day. They had fun today, they were with each other and they battled.”

The Bulldogs’ late-season surge has been powered by a revitalized offense.

Over the last 10 games, Mississippi State is batting .346 with 120 hits, 108 runs, 27 doubles, and 23 home runs.

The team’s 97 home runs this season ties a school record, and their .309 team batting average is the best since 2019.

Houston transfer Ace Reese has been a revelation, leading the team in nearly every offensive category: batting average (.369), hits (76), doubles (18), home runs (21), RBI (66), slugging percentage (.772), and runs scored (58).

We will face @AggieBaseball in the late game on Tuesday night #HailState https://t.co/xR3XZ2TUMj
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 18, 2025

Reese is pushing for First-Team All-SEC honors and the Ferriss Trophy, while fellow transfer Noah Sullivan has added steady production with a .341 average, 13 home runs, and 43 RBI.

Gehrig Frei’s emergence at the top of the order has also been pivotal.

Despite missing time with injury, Frei is hitting .360 with a 1.037 OPS, providing a spark that’s helped the Bulldogs settle into a consistent lineup.

Sawyer Reeves, now at shortstop, has stabilized the defense and is batting close to .300.

Mississippi State’s pitching, which faltered earlier in SEC play, has tightened up under Parker’s guidance.

The Bulldogs’ staff has found its rhythm, and the defense is showing marked improvement as the postseason approaches.

The Bulldogs’ recent history is filled with postseason magic-2018’s run from the loser’s bracket in Tallahassee, the 2021 national championship, and now, a 2025 team peaking at the perfect time.

With the SEC Tournament looming and NCAA Regional projections favoring the Bulldogs, Mississippi State is once again a team no one wants to face in June.

As Parker said, “They just kept playing baseball. They had fun today, they were with each other and they battled.”

Don't go crazy, though. Nobody's predicting a repeat of 2021 again.

Considering where this team was just a few weeks ago, though, the Bulldogs can write their own story going forward.

Whatever it is will be better than what folks were thinking.