Mississippi News
College baseball begins Friday with high expectations
Play Ball! College baseball begins Friday with high expectations

It’s time to do what Mississippians do best when it comes to college sports. That is, play ball. Baseball.
Defending national champion Mississippi State, NCAA regional champ Ole Miss, and perennial NCAA Tournament participant Southern Miss all begin their seasons Friday with home weekend series. To say the least, expectations are high.
Mississippi State, ranked highly in most preseason polls including No. 4 by D1Baseball, will play host to West Coast baseball powerhouse Long Beach State, ranked No. 24 in the same poll. The Bulldogs and Dirtbags will play single games at 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
At Oxford, Charleston Southern (18-26 last season) of the Big South Conference will visit for single games Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (2:30 p.m.).
At Hattiesburg, Southern Miss will play North Alabama (7-40 in 2021) for single games Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
The 2021 college baseball season ended with State’s All American closer Landon Sims getting the last out in the Bulldogs’ 9-0 championship victory over Vanderbilt in the College World Series at Omaha. State’s 2022 season will open with Sims on the mound at Dudy Noble, shifting roles from lock-down closer to Friday night starter. Sims, who saved so many of All American Will Bednar’s victories last season, will inherit Bednar’s role of front-line starter.
The Bulldogs will be face a difficult foe. Long Beach won 15 of its last 17 games a year ago and features one of the nation’s best closers of its own. Sophomore Devereaux Harrison finished with a 3-1 record and a team-leading 10 saves last season. He struck out 42 batters in 34 innings and opponents hit just .175 against him.
At Oxford, Ole Miss returns its everyday lineup virtually in tact from a team that hit .288 with 85 home runs in 67 games. Rebel returners include shortstop Jacob Gonzalez who hit a team-leading .355 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI. Also back is first baseman Tim Elko, who gained almost legendary status in Ole Miss baseball annals last season when he played the last couple months with a torn ACL and still led the team with 16 home runs. Kevin Graham (.342, 14 HR, 54 RBI) also returns.
This weekend’s series will mark the return of former Ole Miss player and assistant coach Marc MacMillan, who begins his second season as Charleston Southern’s head coach.
Southern Miss must replace two of the most productive starting pitchers in school history in Walker Powell and Hunter Stanley — and left-handed relief ace Ryan Och. But Scott Berry returns a deep pitching staff of strong arms and welcomes back most of a batting lineup that hit .275 with 83 home runs to help the Golden Eagles finish second in the Oxford Regional.
Southern Miss apparently will be competing for the last season in Conference USA and the Eagles are the coaches’ preseason pick to win the league.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State
SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.
The post Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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