STARKVILLE — “Clutch” plays are at a premium in the postseason.
The difference between advancing and going home often comes down to a two-out hit or a defensive play that saves a run.
The eight teams in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament, which begins today in Hoover, Ala., have made their share of clutch plays in an ultra-competitive league season. Then again, most have a string of chances they”d like back.
Mississippi State can recall a few missed opportunities, especially a string of one-run losses that could have helped it win the Western Division title.
Instead, the Bulldogs, buoyed by a late-season surge that saw them win 9 of 10 games, entered the final weekend of the regular season locked in a multi-team race to earn one of the eight spots in the tournament.
“Those one-run games are tough to swallow now,” MSU shortstop Jonathan Ogden said. “Two against ”Bama, Arkansas, that Sunday game against Florida — there”s a lot of games we look back and think we could be four games up in the West.”
Admittedly, dropping two of three games last weekend against LSU put a brief damper on earning the sixth seed in the tournament and getting a chance to play third-seeded Florida at approximately 1 p.m. today (CSS).
MSU coach John Cohen said his team”s 6-3 loss to LSU on Saturday was due to his team “trying to do too much” knowing it couldn”t leave its tournament fate to other league results.
The pressure, players insist, has been alleviated by making the tournament.
“It takes a big load off our backs,” third baseman Jarrod Parks said. “This was our goal, and it allows us to ease up and just play our game. We play much better when we”re loose.”
Parks, who was one of three finalists for the Ferriss Trophy, which is given annually to the state”s top college baseball player, leads the SEC in batting average and has been MSU”s best offensive player. His form has dipped in the past two weeks after his 21-game hitting streak ended May 12 at the University of Mississippi.
In three games since the series opener in Oxford, Parks is 4-for-24 with four RBIs. His average has dipped from .419 to .385.
“It”s pretty much been cold and cold,” Parks said. “I haven”t done much at the plate like I”ve needed to. I”ve taken pitches I shouldn”t have. I”ve swung a little bit too hard at some occasions, but I”ll turn that around.”
Parks admits part of the reason for his recent struggles at the plate is due to overcompensation once he realizes his pitch recognition is off.
“That”s how it all started, and maybe once I got in a little bit of a hole I started swinging a little bit more than I should have trying to make up for it with one swing,” Parks said. “You just can”t do that.”
MSU”s loss to LSU on Saturday had glimpses of what has led to recent losses: a shaky start from a starting pitcher and a lack of RBIs.
Senior first baseman Ryan Collins said the Bulldogs have confidence from their late-season turn in form, which saw vast improvement in the ability to get two-out hits and productivity with runners in scoring position. Still, he admits there”s no way to make clutch plays whenever you want them.
“One thing that can help is you just going over the situations mentally in your head,” Collins said. “Just try and prepare for it and think out the whole process. The more years you play, the more times you find yourself in situations like that and the more comfortable you start to feel in those situations. That”s why you see more senior-laden teams do better in the postseason.”
With seven senior starters, MSU likes its chances in Hoover.
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