Senior Feature: Jake Mangum

By Austin Coats, Student Assistant/Communications

"National championship. Nothing else."

Jake Mangum's goal has been clear since 2016. He's explicitly communicated this message throughout his career as a Mississippi State baseball student-athlete.

During each season of Mangum's four-year stay in Starkville, the Bulldogs have been in contention for college baseball's coveted title. In 2016 and 2017, State fell just short of Omaha, before a magical run in 2018 put the team one step closer, finishing within the top four at the College World Series.

Now in 2019, MSU looks poised for more postseason success.

In four seasons of winning, a lot has changed within the Mississippi State baseball program.

A different head coach has captained each team, accompanied by new assistants and support staffs. In 2018, the Diamond Dawgs played in a half-built Dudy Noble Field. This season, the "New Dude" is all done and stands as the Carnegie Hall of college baseball.

While physical and leadership structures have ebbed and flowed, one detail has remained the same for the program.

"Josie's on a vacation far away… Center fielder… Number 15… Jake Mangum… I just want to use your love, toniiiiiight, I don't wanna lose your love, toniiiiiight!"

Since Mangum's freshman season in 2016, two things are true. One: MSU baseball has seen a lot of success. Two: Mangum has had a lot of hits. In fact, Mangum has collected enough hits that he surpassed the SEC career hits mark on April 27 with his 353rd base knock.

However, the road has not been easy.

Mangum started his career 0-for-8 as he tried to earn a spot in the lineup as a freshman.

"As a freshman you have a shorter leash," Mangum said. "You're not going to get many chances to fail, so you can't fail often."

Another chance came in bottom of the sixth in a cold February midweek game against Alcorn State. With a 13-0 lead, two outs and the bases loaded, Mangum stepped to the plate for his second plate appearance of the night. After a first-pitch strike, Mangum slapped a high and tight pitch the other way.

It was through the left side. Mangum had finally taken advantage of a chance he was given.

From then on, the hits came pouring in. Mangum became an integral part of the 2016 SEC Champion team and claimed the SEC batting title with an unreal .408 batting average.

As a sophomore, even injury could not keep Mangum from collecting hits. Midway through the season, Mangum broke his hand in the final game of a series win against Kentucky.

While an injury like this would mean the end of the season for many, Mangum was in the lineup the next weekend.

"I was swinging with one hand and only batting left-handed for probably 125 at-bats," Mangum said.

Though it affected Mangum's average, he was still producing at a high rate, as the Bulldog centerfielder batted .273 in the span following the injury. Only one MSU batter had more hits over that period.

The next year saw a head coaching change one week into the season. The Diamond Dawgs struggled early, but had late life to earn a spot in postseason play, where the team caught fire and grinded its way to the College World Series.

Through the ups and downs, Mangum never faltered. Once again, he increased his single-season hit total. With 101 hits, he became just the fifth Diamond Dawg all-time to collect 100 base knocks in a single season.

By the time opening day 2019 came, Mangum had already collected 275 career hits over three seasons. The Mississippi State and Southeastern Conference career hits records loomed over him dauntingly.

"Everyone who ever had a conversation with me always let me know about it," Mangum said. "If I was walking on the street, someone would come up to me and say, 'Hey how many hits are you away?' It was kind of like, 'I get it. if it happens it happens.' It was really tough."

Despite the pressure, Mangum once again remained steady. Mangum chased the record amidst having maybe his best season yet. He was hitting above .390 when he broke the SEC career hits record. Nevertheless, Mangum is relieved to get the monkey off his back.

"I'm super glad it's over," Mangum said with a smile.

So, with each new season, no matter what he or the program was going through, it has been the same story: MSU can count on Jake Mangum. And the secret is simple, he is focused on that one thing: winning a national championship.

Mangum knows he cannot do this alone. Paradoxically, though, he works tirelessly on building his own game.

"When you individually perform well in baseball, you help the team," Mangum said. "Baseball is a very individualized sport with a team concept. If you do your job and you do what you need to do to be ready to play, that's all you have to do for the team."

And the Bulldog center fielder has been able to do his job so well because he leaves all of the distractions in the locker room.
"Baseball is an escape," Mangum said. "When you take the field, everything off the field goes away. You're just playing baseball.
"No matter who you're playing for, no matter what's going on in your life, if you take the field and you play as hard as you can, good things will happen."
As the 2019 regular season comes to a close, Mangum's eye-black and high socks are making some of their final appearances in SEC ballparks. In Starkville, Mississippi, Bulldog fans will surely miss screaming the lyrics of The Outfield's one-hit wonder, Your Love, that plays before each Mangum plate appearance. But, he has work yet to do.

Mangum got a taste of his dream when the team made it to the College World Series in 2018.

"It was unbelievable," Mangum said. "The coolest two weeks of my life. I didn't think I'd ever make it Omaha, but there we were."

When he decided to come back for his senior season, it was for one reason.

"It was a sense of 'we made it' last year, [and that was enough]," Mangum said. "We don't have that sense anymore."

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