One At A Time
April 05, 2023 | Baseball
Diamond Dawgs turn focus to Alabama, looking to build momentum.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State is looking to string some big victories together on the baseball diamond as the Southeastern Conference schedule rolls on, and the team's most recent games have shown that there is plenty of potential to do that.
The Diamond Dawgs have come alive offensively over the past few days, picking up run-rule victories against the Top-10-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks and Grambling State. In those two games, MSU combined for 34 runs on 35 hits while giving up just five runs to the opposition. Seven Bulldog home runs were hit through just those two contests with three coming off of the bat of sophomore Slate Alford.
There are still seven SEC series and quite a few midweek contests left to play for Mississippi State in the regular season and much can happen in the coming months. Head coach Chris Lemonis said that his team has worked hard in specific areas of the game, and it could certainly be paying off soon.
"We have a couple things we know we really need to improve in, but if we can improve in those areas, we'll be an alright ball club," Lemonis said.
There is plenty of season left to get a winning streak going, but the Diamond Dawgs don't plan on wasting any time. A potential momentum-shifting three days are coming up as the team will spend Easter weekend facing off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. As Lemonis explained, his players are ready to take matters into their own hands and do whatever is necessary to win.
"We can't sit back and wait and think it's going to happen, we've got to go and take care of things this weekend and play good baseball," Lemonis said.
The Diamond Dawgs have been playing better ball as of late, and they're taking each game one at a time. Little by little, they've found ways to make key plays and put together solid at-bats.
"Really, the message has been about getting better every day," Lemonis said. "Get to Tuscaloosa and get a couple wins and get back home and just keep playing. That's all we can control right now."
Through Mississippi State's ups and downs this year, team captain Luke Hancock has been a driving force for the Bulldogs. Aside from posting an impressive .352 batting average and drawing 31 walks on the year, he's been a leader in the locker room and a voice of encouragement for his teammates. Hancock explained what the squad must do to secure some more SEC victories, which happens to be employing the same strategy most Diamond Dawgs have used for much of their lives.
"We've got to be ready to play when we get there on Thursday afternoon, have a good [batting practice] and then just play baseball," Hancock said. "That's what we've been doing since we were four or five years old, so we've just got to be ready to go."
Like his coach, Hancock's advice for the program is simple: take each game as it comes and strive to be the best.
"You just have to be present that day, be where your feet are and just play the game, just play the game hard," Hancock said.
Opportunity still sits in front of Mississippi State. Starting Thursday, the Diamond Dawgs will do their best to take advantage.
