More Heroics From Hujsak Makes Dawgs’ Resume Even Better
May 23, 2024 | Baseball, Joel Coleman
Another big swing from Connor Hujsak has State rolling in Hoover and eyeing a possible home NCAA Regional next week.
HOOVER, Ala. – He did it again, folks. Mississippi State's Connor Hujsak is never going to want to leave Hoover.
For the second straight night at the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Hujsak delivered a game-winning hit with two outs in the ninth inning. His two-run, bases-loaded single delivered the Dawgs a 5-3 victory over Texas A&M on Wednesday evening, only about 24 hours after Hujsak mashed a walk-off, two-run homer that ended archrival Ole Miss' season.
"It's unbelievable," Hujsak said moments after Wednesday's game.
Added MSU head coach Chris Lemonis: "It's like the Connor Hujsak Invitational hosted by the SEC."
Hujsak has certainly provided the theatrics in the early stages of this year's conference tourney. Simultaneously, the hot-hitting Bulldog outfielder is aiding in the process of solidifying a Mississippi State resume that might just be enough to put an NCAA Regional back home at Dudy Noble Field come next week.
"I'd like to think we're there," Lemonis said of State's hosting chances after the Dawgs downed the Aggies – a team that entered Wednesday with the best RPI in the country. "What is that, [20 wins this season against SEC teams]?
"Our kids have earned it. We deserve to have [a regional] in Starkville."
The Bulldogs won't know for a few more days whether or not they'll have postseason action at The Dude, but the first two days playing ball in central Alabama have certainly done nothing but immensely enhance those chances.
State's own RPI climbed inside the top 20 in the country when Wednesday's final out was recorded. That's strong, but what makes it even stronger is a fifth-place overall regular-season finish in a league that might get as many as 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament.
"If you get 11 [SEC] teams in, and you're fifth in the league, how are you not hosting?" Lemonis asked aloud.
It sure seems like State should. There's already been big victory after big victory this season. Downing the Aggies Wednesday was then quite the exclamation point to further drive home Lemonis' case.
David Mershon came up just a triple shy of a cycle for State to help lead his team to the win. Mershon's biggest swing was a two-run homer to left that gave MSU an early 3-0 lead in the third. The blast came an inning after the Dawgs had plated the game's first run on an A&M wild pitch.
Khal Stephen was again strong as the ace starting pitcher went five-plus innings for State and surrendered just three runs on three hits. Nate Dohm chipped in on the mound with two scoreless innings of relief in which he allowed only one hit.
Then, two of the heroes of Tuesday's triumph over the Rebels reprised their roles against the Aggies. First there was Hujsak with his solid single up the middle in the ninth that plated Mershon and Bryce Chance – both guys that'd reached base after getting hit by pitches earlier in the frame.
In the bottom of the ninth, relief pitcher Tyler Davis slammed the door shut on Texas A&M with a relatively stress-free 1-2-3 inning.
The result of it all is that Mississippi State will now battle Vanderbilt on Thursday night around 8 p.m. with the winner advancing straight to the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday. College baseball expert Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball noted late Wednesday that he believes a State win over Vandy would seal the hosting deal for State.
Of course it's possible the Dawgs have already done enough. Lemonis certainly believes so and the Dawgs' achievements absolutely back up his belief.
Might as well remove any lingering doubt though, right? That's precisely what MSU has the chance to do the rest of this week in Hoover, or as it might soon be known: Hujsak Territory.
"How about Connor?" Lemonis said. "Two really good nights and it couldn't happen to a better guy."
