PEARL — Will Golson took the first two pitches of his final at-bat, both outside the strike zone, then timed one right just to hit it foul behind him. The next two pitches were balls, he took them both and did his job: got the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth.
It may not have kept his 10-game hitting streak alive, but it was what the Ole Miss baseball team needed to take a ninth-inning lead.
Entering Tuesday night’s game for the Governor’s Cup against Mississippi State, Golson had hit safely in each of his last 10 games off of a two-week span with a .483 batting average and 10 runs driven in on 14 hits. Golson’s tying run and the go-ahead run were ultimately wiped away by Luke Alexander’s walk-off double in a 7-6 win for MSU (23-19), but Golson’s two walks helped him score a run and keep a productive streak alive. The Ole Miss center fielder and New Hope product exits the game with a .285 batting average.
“I haven’t tried to change too much,” Golson said. “I feel I’ve been hitting the ball at least solid, it’s just not falling. They’re falling now and it’s going good.”
The streak saw Golson’s average rise by over 50 points. The early-season struggles were not easy for Golson, especially as he brandishes the C on his right shoulder as the team captain, but he took on the job and was ultimately rewarded with some success.
“It’s hard to keep yourself up with that happening, but you have to keep a positive attitude for the team,” he said.
Mangum’s rivalry success
MSU center fielder Jake Mangum has the opportunity to leave MSU for the MLB Draft last season, but didn’t feel right about giving MSU just two seasons of his services. If he chooses to leave after this one, he can leave as one of the most remembered players in the MSU-Ole Miss rivalry’s history.
In 12 games against the Rebels, Mangum went 22-for-51 (.431) with six doubles and seven RBIs. If this is his final game against Ole Miss, it would be a memorable one, walking once, hitting once, driving in two runs and scoring the game-winning run.
“I don’t know other than he’s a really good player, he gets ready to play and he’s had success against a lot of people,” MSU interim coach Gary Henderson said. “I haven’t asked him if there’s anything special about the in-state rivalry thing, but clearly he comes ready to play.”
Mangum confirmed afterward: Ole Miss is definitely the reason.
“It’s Ole Miss-Mississippi State. You get up for every game for it,” he said. “People say every game is just another game, but this means something.”
Power on display
Amid the MSU lineup’s early-season struggles, few were more apparent than the lack of power. Entering Tuesday night’s game, MSU was averaging 2.7 extra-base hits per game; the Bulldogs rode four doubles, a triple and a home run to seven runs against the Rebels (32-10).
“Aggressive strokes. Clearly there’s not a whole lot different in our bodies or anything like that, it’s the same group of kids,” Henderson said. “They get aggressive, they get loose and comfortable, they look for something up and let it fly. That’s about it.”
Mangum, Alexander, right fielder Elijah MacNamee and left fielder Rowdey Jordan all doubled, first baseman Tanner Allen tripled and catcher Marshall Gilbert hit his second home run of the season in the win.
Matchup backfired
With one out in the top of the ninth, his team clinging onto a one-run lead that could end the game in two outs, Henderson made a pitching change. He went away from JP France — the graduate transfer right-hander that pitched four perfect innings against Arkansas on Friday — for closer and fellow right-hander Blake Smith. Smith, inheriting a runner on first base, gave up a double to tie the game and a double that gave Ole Miss the lead.
He then forced a groundout before MSU turned to Cole Gordon for the final out.
“The pure matchup, that’s it,” Henderson said of the decision to go to Smith. “Sometimes they go exactly the way you think they will and sometimes they don’t, it’s all part of making decisions.”
Even after the subpar outing — one earned run in 1/3 inning — Smith is sporting a 1.53 earned run average in 13 appearances, allowing 13 hits and five walks over 17 2/3 innings.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.