Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Hail Hooty!
June 09, 2021 | Baseball, Joel Coleman
Harding’s personality and talent has been key to MSU’s 2021 success.
STARKVILLE – When you hear a nickname like Hooty, certain characteristics might come to mind. Surely you can't be a Hooty without an outgoing, bubbly personality, right? And it seems unlikely that a Hooty would be anything other than a positive, uplifting individual.
Well if that's what a Hooty is made of, Mississippi State pitcher Houston Harding sure fits the bill. And oh, don't forget, this particular Hooty is all of the above with an extremely talented left arm to boot.
"His personality is infectious I would say," MSU pitching coach Scott Foxhall said of Harding. "He has a great attitude every day. I don't think Hooty has ever had a bad day. He always has a smile on his face. He's the really social guy in the clubhouse and is everybody's friend and somebody everyone enjoys being around."
And as for that pitching skill of Harding's?
"There's no question, we wouldn't have the resume that we had to be a national seed and to be able to host in the postseason if we hadn't had Hooty on our team," Foxhall said.
Yes, Harding has found his place on these 2021 Bulldogs. That role happens to be the man willing to do whatever it takes. Need a midweek starter? Harding can be your guy. Harding made three midweek starts this season and went 2-0, allowing only one run and striking out 19 over 13 1/3 innings in those starts.
He's proven he can shine in the big moments in a starting role as well. All the way back on opening weekend, Harding started against eventual-national-seed TCU and went 3 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
However Harding has made his biggest mark out of the bullpen this year. In the vein of former Bulldog hurlers like Chad Girodo and Ross Mitchell – key cogs of MSU's run to the 2013 national title series – Harding has become a middle-of-the-game, long-relief star that is often called upon to either steady the ship or maintain momentum into the late innings.
"He's that good long guy and he's pitched great for us," State head coach Chris Lemonis said of Harding. "Usually when we get him in the game with a chance to win, we win with him out there."
Case in point, this past Monday in the Starkville Regional championship against Campbell. With MSU on the brink of advancing to its fifth-straight Super Regional, it was Harding that essentially punched the ticket. The southpaw entered in the very first inning and went on to hurl five frames, striking out 10 before turning the contest over to MSU closer Landon Sims, who shut the door. Harding's effort fulfilled a prophecy from his pitching coach that was made earlier in the week.
"I told him, 'I think you're going to do something big for us,'" Foxhall said of what he'd told Harding the day before the game. "He said, 'I'm ready to go whenever you need me, coach.' He certainly was."
Add another characteristic to those called Hooty. They're flexible and ready to go at a moment's notice. At least that's certainly the case with Harding.
"I think it's one of those things where as soon as the game starts, I'm going to be ready to go," Harding said. "Whether it's the third, fourth or the sixth, I'm always going to be ready to take the ball and run with it."
Looking at Harding's growing track record of long-relief success combined with him already having proven he can begin games as well, Harding has his eyes set firmly on helping the Bulldogs on this latest postsesaon push by whatever means necessary.
"I'm playing my role," Harding said. "I want to help the team win. I'm a team-first guy. But I feel confident enough for sure to start any game or come out of the pen in any game. I think I've had a good mix this year of both. That's allowed me to settle in and just do whatever they call me to do."
Sometimes Harding even goes above and beyond the call of duty, too. In the moments after his strong Monday showing, Harding was in the dugout embracing fellow Bulldog pitcher, Jackson Fristoe. The talented freshman Fristoe was the man Harding had replaced in the first frame. Harding wanted to make sure Fristoe's head was still held high.
"We all had a lot of bumps and obstacles we had to overcome over the course of the season," Harding said. "[Monday] was just tough for him and I had to let [Fristoe] know he's still that guy. He controls his own confidence and is one that can run out there and get it done for us."
On the field and off, Harding is a central piece of these Bulldogs. Harding's contributions have helped give MSU the chance to play this weekend in the Starkville Super Regional and hopefully beyond.
"I'm just very thankful," Harding said. "The Lord has blessed me tremendously and I'm just super excited to continue this journey with these guys."
Happy, positive, uplifting, talented and thankful – that's Mississippi State's Hooty. And the Diamond Dawgs are sure glad this Hooty is on their side.
Well if that's what a Hooty is made of, Mississippi State pitcher Houston Harding sure fits the bill. And oh, don't forget, this particular Hooty is all of the above with an extremely talented left arm to boot.
"His personality is infectious I would say," MSU pitching coach Scott Foxhall said of Harding. "He has a great attitude every day. I don't think Hooty has ever had a bad day. He always has a smile on his face. He's the really social guy in the clubhouse and is everybody's friend and somebody everyone enjoys being around."
And as for that pitching skill of Harding's?
"There's no question, we wouldn't have the resume that we had to be a national seed and to be able to host in the postseason if we hadn't had Hooty on our team," Foxhall said.
Yes, Harding has found his place on these 2021 Bulldogs. That role happens to be the man willing to do whatever it takes. Need a midweek starter? Harding can be your guy. Harding made three midweek starts this season and went 2-0, allowing only one run and striking out 19 over 13 1/3 innings in those starts.
He's proven he can shine in the big moments in a starting role as well. All the way back on opening weekend, Harding started against eventual-national-seed TCU and went 3 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
However Harding has made his biggest mark out of the bullpen this year. In the vein of former Bulldog hurlers like Chad Girodo and Ross Mitchell – key cogs of MSU's run to the 2013 national title series – Harding has become a middle-of-the-game, long-relief star that is often called upon to either steady the ship or maintain momentum into the late innings.
"He's that good long guy and he's pitched great for us," State head coach Chris Lemonis said of Harding. "Usually when we get him in the game with a chance to win, we win with him out there."
Case in point, this past Monday in the Starkville Regional championship against Campbell. With MSU on the brink of advancing to its fifth-straight Super Regional, it was Harding that essentially punched the ticket. The southpaw entered in the very first inning and went on to hurl five frames, striking out 10 before turning the contest over to MSU closer Landon Sims, who shut the door. Harding's effort fulfilled a prophecy from his pitching coach that was made earlier in the week.
"I told him, 'I think you're going to do something big for us,'" Foxhall said of what he'd told Harding the day before the game. "He said, 'I'm ready to go whenever you need me, coach.' He certainly was."
Add another characteristic to those called Hooty. They're flexible and ready to go at a moment's notice. At least that's certainly the case with Harding.
"I think it's one of those things where as soon as the game starts, I'm going to be ready to go," Harding said. "Whether it's the third, fourth or the sixth, I'm always going to be ready to take the ball and run with it."
Looking at Harding's growing track record of long-relief success combined with him already having proven he can begin games as well, Harding has his eyes set firmly on helping the Bulldogs on this latest postsesaon push by whatever means necessary.
"I'm playing my role," Harding said. "I want to help the team win. I'm a team-first guy. But I feel confident enough for sure to start any game or come out of the pen in any game. I think I've had a good mix this year of both. That's allowed me to settle in and just do whatever they call me to do."
Sometimes Harding even goes above and beyond the call of duty, too. In the moments after his strong Monday showing, Harding was in the dugout embracing fellow Bulldog pitcher, Jackson Fristoe. The talented freshman Fristoe was the man Harding had replaced in the first frame. Harding wanted to make sure Fristoe's head was still held high.
"We all had a lot of bumps and obstacles we had to overcome over the course of the season," Harding said. "[Monday] was just tough for him and I had to let [Fristoe] know he's still that guy. He controls his own confidence and is one that can run out there and get it done for us."
On the field and off, Harding is a central piece of these Bulldogs. Harding's contributions have helped give MSU the chance to play this weekend in the Starkville Super Regional and hopefully beyond.
"I'm just very thankful," Harding said. "The Lord has blessed me tremendously and I'm just super excited to continue this journey with these guys."
Happy, positive, uplifting, talented and thankful – that's Mississippi State's Hooty. And the Diamond Dawgs are sure glad this Hooty is on their side.
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