Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
KAM-VP
June 07, 2021 | Baseball, Joel Coleman
James goes from fan to Starkville Regional Most Valuable Player
STARKVILLE โ Kamren James' earliest memories of Mississippi State's Dudy Noble Field are as a six or seven-year-old kid, wandering around the place with legendary former head coach Ron Polk. As the son of former MSU football player Greg James and brother of former State pitcher Keegan, Kamren has always had Bulldog in his blood.
ย
So when the latest MSU James wrote his name in the history books on Monday as the Most Valuable Player of the Starkville Regional, it certainly meant a lot to the Mississippi boy with maroon in his heart.
ย
"It's special for sure," James said on Monday moments after leading MSU to its fifth-straight Super Regional berth. "To get to come to Starkville and watch Regionals as my brother was playing here โ I can remember watching way back when they were playing Arizona in a Super Regional [in 2016], then in '19 in the Regional and Super Regional. To get to witness that atmosphere and to be outside of the net in the stands, it was something special to get to be on the other side this time and be on the field. Especially to have some success and hear the crowd roar when I hit a homer โ especially on Saturday โ that was probably the most electric atmosphere I've ever played in. Just to hear that crowd every time I got a hit or was jogging around the bases, it was definitely special."
ย
It's not unusual to enjoy being the centerpiece for your team's success. It's a bit more unique to get to do so while living out your childhood dream.
ย
Given his family dynamics, James always had Mississippi State in his sights as he grew up and then starred at DeSoto Central High School in Southaven. Sure, he could've played somewhere else. But sporting that M-over-S was the goal.
ย
"As soon as the dream of playing college baseball started, this is where it was," James said. "This was the first college place that I came to watch. My dad would have us down here any chance we could get just because he loved this place and he loved Mississippi State. He's passionate about the university, especially since he played football here. So I guess as soon as it became a reality where I could play college baseball, I knew Mississippi State was probably my go-to place."
ย
And like his dad and brother before him, James of course did put on the maroon and white. And never did it pay off more for the Bulldogs than over the course of the last four days.
ย
James' seven Starkville Regional RBIs were more than any other player on any of the four teams playing in the event. In his three games, James hit .385, going 5-for-13 with two home runs and a pair of doubles. He also scored six runs. As for James' glove, it was fantastic, too. He started at third base and played errorless ball in all three of State's Regional games.
ย
It was unquestionably an MVP-caliber performance and State head coach Chris Lemonis was brimming with pride for James. This was a young man that tapped into those Bulldog roots of his, kept his head down and came through when the games meant the most.
ย
"He's just handled the game with such professionalism all year long," Lemonis said. "For him to come out and play this way here at the end, I know him and [hitting coach Jake Gautreau] have been working and spending a lot of extra time. You saw that out here, not only offensively, but he made great plays [defensively] all weekend. He is a Mississippi State guy. I don't think he'd have gone anywhere else. His whole family has been to school here and it means a lot to him. Just a special day for him and his family. I'm really happy for him."
ย
James' teammates were also glad to get to share in his big moment.
ย
"He talks about [how much Mississippi State means to him] all the time," Tanner Allen said of James. "He loves this place. I know he hasn't been playing the best that he can play or as well as he'd want to play the last couple of weeks but this weekend, he turned it on. This weekend, it was there. I'm extremely happy for him. Hopefully, he'll stay hot next weekend and good Lord willing, the next week or two, too."
ย
Therein lies perhaps the best part of James' Regional surge. It has given him a chance for it all to continue. Mississippi State will now host a best-of-three Super Regional against Notre Dame with a spot in the College World Series on the line.
ย
And if the boy that's essentially been a Bulldog since birth can stay at the top of his game, it'd certainly go a long way towards helping MSU earn their way back to Omaha.
ย
"The goal is Omaha, but Coach Lem reminds us all the time to just take it one game at the time," James said. "It's really all about what we do [each day]. So coming in [Tuesday], it's all about how we practice and get after it and how we go about the week trying to get better and prepare for Notre Dame. We know it's going to be a tough weekend. But I think this was a good weekend for us. We've got a lot of confidence going into next week and I think being able to have that and ride that out as long as we can will help us a lot because obviously they're a really good team."
ย
ย
So when the latest MSU James wrote his name in the history books on Monday as the Most Valuable Player of the Starkville Regional, it certainly meant a lot to the Mississippi boy with maroon in his heart.
ย
"It's special for sure," James said on Monday moments after leading MSU to its fifth-straight Super Regional berth. "To get to come to Starkville and watch Regionals as my brother was playing here โ I can remember watching way back when they were playing Arizona in a Super Regional [in 2016], then in '19 in the Regional and Super Regional. To get to witness that atmosphere and to be outside of the net in the stands, it was something special to get to be on the other side this time and be on the field. Especially to have some success and hear the crowd roar when I hit a homer โ especially on Saturday โ that was probably the most electric atmosphere I've ever played in. Just to hear that crowd every time I got a hit or was jogging around the bases, it was definitely special."
ย
It's not unusual to enjoy being the centerpiece for your team's success. It's a bit more unique to get to do so while living out your childhood dream.
ย
Given his family dynamics, James always had Mississippi State in his sights as he grew up and then starred at DeSoto Central High School in Southaven. Sure, he could've played somewhere else. But sporting that M-over-S was the goal.
ย
"As soon as the dream of playing college baseball started, this is where it was," James said. "This was the first college place that I came to watch. My dad would have us down here any chance we could get just because he loved this place and he loved Mississippi State. He's passionate about the university, especially since he played football here. So I guess as soon as it became a reality where I could play college baseball, I knew Mississippi State was probably my go-to place."
ย
And like his dad and brother before him, James of course did put on the maroon and white. And never did it pay off more for the Bulldogs than over the course of the last four days.
ย
James' seven Starkville Regional RBIs were more than any other player on any of the four teams playing in the event. In his three games, James hit .385, going 5-for-13 with two home runs and a pair of doubles. He also scored six runs. As for James' glove, it was fantastic, too. He started at third base and played errorless ball in all three of State's Regional games.
ย
It was unquestionably an MVP-caliber performance and State head coach Chris Lemonis was brimming with pride for James. This was a young man that tapped into those Bulldog roots of his, kept his head down and came through when the games meant the most.
ย
"He's just handled the game with such professionalism all year long," Lemonis said. "For him to come out and play this way here at the end, I know him and [hitting coach Jake Gautreau] have been working and spending a lot of extra time. You saw that out here, not only offensively, but he made great plays [defensively] all weekend. He is a Mississippi State guy. I don't think he'd have gone anywhere else. His whole family has been to school here and it means a lot to him. Just a special day for him and his family. I'm really happy for him."
ย
James' teammates were also glad to get to share in his big moment.
ย
"He talks about [how much Mississippi State means to him] all the time," Tanner Allen said of James. "He loves this place. I know he hasn't been playing the best that he can play or as well as he'd want to play the last couple of weeks but this weekend, he turned it on. This weekend, it was there. I'm extremely happy for him. Hopefully, he'll stay hot next weekend and good Lord willing, the next week or two, too."
ย
Therein lies perhaps the best part of James' Regional surge. It has given him a chance for it all to continue. Mississippi State will now host a best-of-three Super Regional against Notre Dame with a spot in the College World Series on the line.
ย
And if the boy that's essentially been a Bulldog since birth can stay at the top of his game, it'd certainly go a long way towards helping MSU earn their way back to Omaha.
ย
"The goal is Omaha, but Coach Lem reminds us all the time to just take it one game at the time," James said. "It's really all about what we do [each day]. So coming in [Tuesday], it's all about how we practice and get after it and how we go about the week trying to get better and prepare for Notre Dame. We know it's going to be a tough weekend. But I think this was a good weekend for us. We've got a lot of confidence going into next week and I think being able to have that and ride that out as long as we can will help us a lot because obviously they're a really good team."
ย
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballThursday, September 17
Thursday, September 17
Wednesday, June 03
Wednesday, June 03