| Friday, June 21, 2013 |
| Omaha success excites Bulldogs' fans | |
 | Mississippi State (50-18) has won its first two games at the College World Series in Omaha. If the Bulldogs can beat Oregon State (52-12) in either today's 2 p.m. game or in a possible rematch on Saturday, then they will advance to the best-of-three championship series for the first time in program history. This is MSU's ninth CWS trip and first in six years. It means a lot to the fans to see the team back in Omaha. "I've been following them forever. To see them coming back, that's why I'm here. It woke me up," said Leroy Boyd, who lives in Atlanta but is originally from McComb. MSU brought a good contingent to each of the first two games, a pair of 5-4 wins over Oregon State and Indiana. Even more fans are expected if the Bulldogs reach the championship series. |
| Traditional foes discovering it's cool to be a Dog | |
 | A T-shirt being sold in Omaha with the big mistake "Mississippi State Rebels" written on it may not have been so far off the mark. With the Bulldogs in the late rounds of the College World Series, Mississippians from all different schools find themselves pulling for MSU. "Well I guess it's back to the bayou for the Tigers," Brookhaven's Dustin Porter said in a Facebook post. "Wonder how many bandwagon jumpers State will have Friday?" Susan Campbell of Crystal Springs said she is "technically an Ole Miss fan." But she's also a Copiah Academy graduate and is pulling for one of the hometown boys. "I am pulling hard for Mississippi State and Hunter Renfroe, but I pull for any team from Mississippi when it gets down to it," she said. "I mean this is huge! And our house is a divided one. I married a State graduate and our son is headed to State this fall, so I am trying hard." |
| 2 p.m. MSU baseball start forces fans to adjust | |
| Mississippi State fans are excitedly gearing up for Friday afternoon's game. Throughout the series, fans have crowded into sports bars and living rooms in the name of Bulldog Nation to watch the action play out. However, because Friday's game is at 2 p.m., fans working during the day are being creative about how they're tuning in. Social media and apps are playing a significant role in the College World Series experience. |
| New road opens at state's largest research park | |
 | A new roadway is now open in the state's largest research park, and its completion sets the stage for expansion, according to Mississippi State University officials. "We are very pleased that the new road is open, and believe that it will be an additional catalyst for the momentum we have in Cochran Research Park," said David Shaw, MSU's vice president for research and economic development. "There is nothing else like the park anywhere in Mississippi, and it is a tremendous economic development asset for our state," he added. |
| New Road Opens Door for Research Park Expansion | |
 | A new roadway is now open in the state's largest research park, and its completion sets the stage for expansion, according to Mississippi State University officials. "We expect to make significant progress on developing Phase II now that the new road is open and water, sewer and electrical infrastructure are in place," said Marc McGee, the director of the MSU Research and Technology Corporation, who manages the park. The park is a joint venture between the City of Starkville, Oktibbeha County and MSU, with the university providing day-to-day management. |
| New research park roadway opens at MSU | |
 | A new roadway is now open in the state's largest research park, and its completion sets the stage for expansion, according to Mississippi State University officials. Columbus-based Burns Dirt Construction, Inc. was the general contractor for the road's construction, which was funded by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. "We are very pleased that the new road is open, and believe that it will be an additional catalyst for the momentum we have in Cochran Research Park," said David Shaw, MSU's vice president for research and economic development. |
| Ancient Tennessee paintings illustrate native beliefs | |
 | The paintings and carvings have been scattered around the caves and bluff faces of the Cumberland Plateau for centuries, left behind by the ancestors of the Native American nations of the Southeast. Now a lengthy survey of the works indicates they're all part of a pattern -- a sweeping, interrelated series that illustrates how the continent's prehistoric inhabitants saw the universe and their place in it, University of Tennessee anthropologist Jan Simek said. Simek and colleagues from the University of the South, the U.S. Geological Survey and Mississippi State University spent about a decade and a half documenting the rock art. |
| Starkville aldermen pass issues on to new board | |
 | Although Tuesday marked the last official meeting for current Starkville board of aldermen, city officials declined to take action on numerous issues, leaving them for the new board to deal with when it convenes for the first time in July. In its farewell meeting, the board took no action Tuesday on numerous city board appointments. The board also shot down a proposed redevelopment district for the Highway 182 and Russell Street corridors, two highly-traveled arteries connecting the city and Mississippi State University. |
| American Medical Association Says Obesity is a Disease | |
| One third of the nation's adult population is considered obese and now the American Medical Association has classified obesity as a disease. Mississippi State University nutritionist Mandy Conrad says the decision will have a major impact on healthcare. "Over the past 30 years, we have seen a rise in American's weight. So that's important because of the impact it has on healthcare, healthcare costs. So I think it was getting to a point that something has to be done and maybe having this classification is a just a step in further addressing it in the health community," says Conrad. |
| Mississippi 5th nationally in business startup activity | |
| Mississippi is ranked 5th nationally in the most business startup activity in 2012, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Index of Entrepreneurial Activity. A summary on CNNMoney.com says: "Startups can get help doing research and finding capital through Mississippi State University's Entrepreneurship Center. They also can enroll in business-training bootcamps offered throughout the state by the Mississippi Development Authority." |
| Diversified Menu for Mosquitoes | |
| We are now into the mosquito-biting season in Mississippi, and it is certain many people will be bitten. "For the most part about March or April to about November. Now, during that time they come out most species come out during the dark. Like when the sun goes down all the way to about daylight the next day," said Dr. Jerome Goddard of Mississippi State University. |
| Governor's School offers blend of fun, study | |
| For the past three weeks, the campus of Mississippi University for Women has been filled with 122 upcoming high school juniors and seniors for the annual Mississippi Governor's School. While most teens may be spending the summer relaxing or working part-time jobs, the students at MGS are earning college credit. While the program will wrap up Friday, the young participants said the lessons they have learned will last a lifetime. Ashlee Bane Louisville chose electronic microscopy as her major course. Bane and her classmates travel to Mississippi State three times each week to use high-powered microscopes. |
| Mississippi State University hosts camps this week | |
 | Most of the elementary and high school classrooms in Starkville may have emptied for the summer, but class was in session in other locales across the city Thursday, filled with children who refused to stop learning. |
| Former detective pursues law degree | |
 | Change is in the air for Collinsville native, Mark Chandlee. The 34-year-old graduated from Mississippi State University-Meridian in May and is headed to Mississippi College this summer to study law. When he first started back to school Chandlee's focus was on furthering his career in law enforcement. Once he got into his studies, however, that focus shifted. "I was doing well at MSU-Meridian, while still working at the department, and I began to think, maybe I should keep on going," he said. Chandlee said several factors led to his decision, but one in particular was a writing assignment in his Writing for the Workplace class. |
| Education board down one unless speaker acts | |
| The nine-member state Board of Education will be functioning minus one member after this week's meetings unless Speaker Philip Gunn acts to fill the vacancy. The Board's meetings Thursday and today will mark the end of Martha "Jackie" Murphy's tenure. Gunn, R-Clinton, had nominated Joel Bomgar of Jackson, owner of a Ridgeland-based computer software company to replace Murphy, but he was rejected during the 2013 session by the Senate Education Committee. Bomgar ran into difficulty on a number of fronts in his confirmation hearing. |
| Mississippi governor may lose Medicaid authority | |
 | Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant lacks the legal authority to single-handedly run Medicaid in his state should lawmakers fail to renew it amid partisan squabbling over Medicaid expansion, the state's attorney general has determined. A spokesman for Bryant suggested the governor might still try to keep the Medicaid program running by himself, despite Hood's opinion. And the Bryant administration is mum on whether it will attempt a special session at all. |
| Insurers may skip health plans in much of Mississippi | |
 | People in 36 of Mississippi's 82 counties may not be able to buy health insurance through the new federal online marketplace when it starts enrolling customers in October. Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said two insurers have announced offerings so far, planning to serve 46 counties. Unless more companies sign up or the two companies expand their plans, consumers in the remaining counties won't be able to buy health insurance through the online exchange. Coverage under those policies begins Jan. 1. "I don't know what to tell you about the other 36 counties," Chaney said in a phone interview this week. "You're just out of luck." |
| Navistar idling West Point plant | |
| Navistar Defense is suspending production at its plant in West Point. Navistar spokeswoman Lauren McFarland said in a statement that the 80 workers at the plant were notified Thursday. McFarland says the decision came in response to across-the-board federal budget reductions known as the sequester that went into effect on March 1. The last day for production and for most workers at the facility is July 5. The West Point plant opened five years ago. |
| Officials react to House's failure to pass Farm Bill | |
| The U.S. House of Representatives voted down their version of the 2013 Farm Bill yesterday afternoon by a vote of 234-195. U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said, "The agriculture community and our economy need the certainty that comes with a five-year Farm Bill. We face a September deadline to provide that certainty, and I am hopeful the House will still be able to come back and pass a bill that can be responsibly conferenced with the farm bill passed by the Senate." With a bipartisan 66-27 vote June 10, the Senate approved a Farm Bill. Current federal agriculture programs are operating on a short-term extension that expires Sept. 30. |
| House defeats farm bill in surprise move | |
 | A broad five-year farm bill went down to a surprise defeat in the House on Thursday when Republican conservatives revolted against the legislation, arguing that it would cost too much, while Democrats defected, saying it would not spend enough on their priorities. The 234 to 195 vote was the latest rebuke to House GOP leaders, who have struggled to muster enough control of the chamber to pass major legislation. The defeat also bodes ill for legislation on the budget and immigration that is expected to be debated in the House this summer and fall. Senators reached an agreement Thursday to increase funding for border security, a deal that increases the likelihood that the immigration bill will be approved with broad support. |
| Stunning farm bill defeat lays bare House dysfunction | |
 | The dysfunctional House of Representatives claimed another legislative victim on Thursday: the farm bill. Once believed to be a nearly sure-fire bipartisan achievement for Congress this year, the five-year, nearly $1 trillion farm bill unexpectedly went down in flames in the House on Thursday in a 195 to 234 vote, sending a shockwave through rural lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol. The Republican-led House managed a difficult feat, offering enough conservative amendments to siphon expected Democratic support for the bill while not holding the line in their own caucus enough to move the bill move forward. |
| K Street stunned at farm bill defeat | |
 | K Street agriculture lobbyists were stunned Thursday by the House defeat of a $940 billion farm bill and were scrambling to figure out their next move. The bill was widely expected to win approval since it is rare for a bill backed by House leadership to be defeated on the floor. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) even cast a rare vote for the defeated bill. "We were shocked. We were watching the vote on TV and in the final minutes were saying 'what are they doing? This thing isn't going to pass!" said one commodity group lobbyist. The intense blame game that broke out immediately after the bill was rejected in a 195-234 vote will only make it harder to get a bill over the hump, supporters of the measure said. |
| Farm Bill's Failure Poisons Well in House | |
 | The House's stunning defeat of the farm bill Thursday dealt another blow to Speaker John A. Boehner's leadership and set off a poisonous round of partisan finger-pointing that raised questions about the ability of the chamber to craft bipartisan deals on immigration, the budget and the debt later this year. As the dust settled after the resounding 195-234 vote, stakeholders traded blame over how the bill failed after days of debate on more than 100 amendments and were looking ahead to the fallout. In the midst of assessing the political fallout of the vote's defeat, lawmakers were not immediately discussing the logistical next steps for passing a crucial five-year authorization of various farm programs, many of which expired when the House was unable to pass a farm bill last year. |
| Auditor's report lists Mississippi legislative expenses | |
| Mississippi spent nearly $7.5 million for salaries and expenses of state lawmakers during the 11 months that ended in early April, according to a new report from the state auditor's office. That breaks down to nearly $5.2 million for the House of Representatives and $2.3 million for the Senate. The report is dated June 7 but was released to the public on Wednesday. It covers expenses from May 4, 2012, the end of that year's regular legislative session; through April 7, 2013, the end of this year's session. |
| Government could use metadata to map your every move | |
 | If you tweet a picture from your living room using your smartphone, you're sharing far more than your new hairdo or the color of the wallpaper. You're potentially revealing the exact coordinates of your house to anyone on the Internet. The GPS location information embedded in a digital photo is an example of so-called metadata, a once-obscure technical term that's become one of Washington's hottest new buzzwords. Privacy experts warn that to those who know how to mine it, metadata discloses much more about us and our daily lives than the content of our communications. |
| Mississippi Students Participate in Governors School | |
| Some of the brightest young minds in Mississippi are getting a fun and informative look at college life. More than 100 teens are taking part in Governor's School at Mississippi University for Women. Governor's School has been a summertime tradition since 1981. |
| Kids cook!: MUW's Culinary Camp gives next generation of cooks the right ingredients | |
| Young cooks had a hard time containing their excited anticipation Friday afternoon while waiting for parents to arrive at Mississippi University for Women's Culinary Arts Institute. It was demo day, the last day of their week-long adventure at culinary camp, and they were eager to show off what they had learned. Each summer, MUW offers youngsters the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of foods. Four separate sessions geared toward second- through 12th-graders employ demonstrations, lectures and hands-on work to train campers in the practical knowledge needed to produce the recipes of the day. |
| Teacher-preparation scorecard that gave Alabama poor marks is just a 'paper exercise,' UA dean says | |
 | A new report that gives Alabama colleges and universities poor marks for the quality of their teacher-preparation programs is inciting criticism from college administrators who say the research methods used were faulty. "It's strictly a paper evaluation," said Peter Hlebowitsh, dean of the University of Alabama College of Education. "No one has showed up at any one of these places to actually observe what's going on. No one has interviewed anyone. It's strictly a paper exercise." |
| Two U. of Alabama graduate students to meet Nobel laureates | |
 | Two graduate students from the University of Alabama scheduled to attend the annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany describe the event as an exciting chance to interact with some of the brightest minds in science. "I think it is a once in a lifetime opportunity," Michele Stover said of the chance to meet the Nobel Prize winners and other students. Stover, 25, of Moselle, Miss., and fellow doctoral student in chemistry Steven Kelley of Olive Branch, Miss., will be among 625 graduate students from 78 countries who will meet with 35 Nobel laureates from June 30 to July 5 in Lindau, Germany. |
| Auburn University trustees to formally approve Toomer's architect | |
 | Design plans for the post-Oaks Toomer's Corner and Samford Park continue to take shape. Formal architect selection is expected Friday during the Auburn University Board of Trustees' regular meeting at The Hotel at Auburn University, Ballroom B. At its April board meeting, a resolution to select a project architect was approved. After reviewing eight architect firms and interviewing four, jB+a Landscape Architecture of Atlanta was selected for board approval. A resolution to approve the hiring of the firm is expected to pass. Mike Clardy, director of university communications, said the architect selection is the "next step" in getting the designs off the page. While architects etched out the Toomer's design, Clardy says it was the Auburn Family who had the final say. |
| U. of Tennessee board of trustees approve budget | |
 | The University of Tennessee board of trustees ended its two-day summer meeting by approving the system's nearly $2 billion budget that includes a 6 percent tuition increase, some new student fees, and pay raises for faculty and staff. But not without a lot of discussion and even some debate --- especially about the proposed tuition increase. Trustee Crawford Gallimore said he hopes the system is able to demonstrate to taxpayers that "raising tuition is the last resort ... and not as just a matter of course that we do every year." Student trustee Shalin Shah said he believed students would pay the increase if they understood the reasons for it. |
| Florida Board of Governors notes unmet building/maintenance needs at state's universities | |
 | Florida's state universities have critical unmet building and maintenance needs that aren't being financed, the Florida Board of Governors determined this week during its annual meeting in Tampa. "It is clear from hearing from our universities that we still have a facility crisis," board member Dick Beard said Thursday at the opening of the facilities committee he chairs. Last year, the University of Florida had asked for $99 million and received $43 million -- nearly $17 million for critical maintenance that had been put off for years, $15 million for a new chemistry building and $11 million for renovations to the Reitz Union. |
| U. of Arkansas To Offer Online Business Analytics Program | |
 | The University of Arkansas has launched an online certificate program in business analytics that aims to help workers interpret large amounts of data. The graduate certificate program will begin in the fall and the application deadline is July 1. Late applications may be considered on a space-available basis. The program will offered through the university's Walton Business College. According to a UA press release, the program provides a high-quality online experience focused on learning concepts and techniques in data management, analytics and data mining. Students will work with large-scale, real-world data sets from active companies, including Sam's Club, Tyson Foods Inc., Dillard's Inc. and Acxiom. |
| Sun sets on Jenkins' career as LSU administrator | |
 | It's Thursday morning, and outgoing LSU System President William Jenkins is sitting in his office overlooking the LSU lakes for perhaps the last time. The bookshelves are nearly empty, and the longtime administrator is spending his last day on campus reflecting on a career that he never expected to have. In a higher education career spanning 35 years, the Atlantic Ocean and multiple college campuses, Jenkins' legacy at LSU is an unusual one. Jenkins said one of his biggest concerns upon leaving are faculty and staff salaries. "They haven't gotten a raise in five years and that's a huge concern for me," Jenkins said. "It's been a top priority for me but it just hasn't been possible with our financial predicament." |
| Pablo Mendoza, U. of Missouri Multicultural Center director, takes job in Pennsylvania | |
 | Pablo Mendoza, the University of Missouri's Multicultural Center director, has accepted a new job as assistant to the president for social equity at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. According to Indiana University of Pennsylvania's website, his tenure will begin Aug. 1. A 13-member search committee comprised of professors and other university faculty members selected Mendoza from more than 60 applicants. In Mendoza's new role, he will help to enhance diversity by creating policies and services to bring equity and inclusiveness to Indiana University of Pennsylvania's campus, according to the university's website. |
| Senators close to student loan deal | |
| A bipartisan group of senators is close to reaching an agreement to stop student loan rates from doubling on July 1, aides said Thursday afternoon. The legislation would represent a compromise between the plan pitched by President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans. It would link the rate of new loans to Treasury bonds and lock the rate in for the life of the loan -- a key priority for the White House that was missing from a House Republican bill. |
| Underemployed? Study says blame college degree | |
 | The U.S. labor market is "oversaturated" with college graduates who are underemployed, according to a new study by PayScale. The employment research firm said it analyzed 40 million career profiles in its database to come up with the 10 most underemployed majors for graduates with no more than a bachelor's degree. Making the Top 10 list of underemployed majors: (1) business administration and management; (tied for No. 2) drama and theater arts, criminal justice; (4) anthropology; (5) liberal arts; (6) history; (7) psychology; (8) biology; (9) English; (10) economics. PayScale says underemployment among business administration and management majors is eight times what is typical nationally. |
| Monsters University explores the value of diversity in college settings | |
 | More than a comment on college, Monsters University is a film about diversity, the innate differences between individuals, and the institutions and situations that help foster connections and understanding between those individuals. Which makes it fitting that the film is released today in the shadow of a potential landmark Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action expected to come next week. The movie is about the challenge of limited talent and the realization that hard work can only take one so far. It's also about what students in the social and intellectual crucible of college can learn from each other and how those interactions shape worldviews and change lives. |
| More funds needed to maintain highways | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal editorializes: "A special Mississippi Senate task force on adequate highway funding began meeting this month under a deadline to make action recommendations to the 2014 legislative session. Its work is timely and important. Mississippi, for the most part, has built a long-sought statewide four-lane highway system, but its durability is threatened by the declining proportionate value of tax revenue to maintain it and build new mileage." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State an unexpected favorite in Omaha | |
| Early Thursday morning, you couldn't hear much in the middle of Creighton's downtown campus other than wind whipping through the concourses. A couple of birds chirped from the trees. A few students dragged tired feet across pavement. A lawn mower yawned in the distance. But mostly, silence. At 9:15 a.m., a Mississippi State bus pulled up. "Let's gooooo," a Bulldog yelled as they set out to stretch. Soon, balls were whizzing across the diamond in drills, popping leather at their destinations. Baserunners were yelling at pitchers on first-and-third plays, begging them to break down and balk under pressure. This is Mississippi State -- loud, brash, fun. The Bulldogs, undefeated in Omaha and awaiting Oregon State on Friday afternoon, have become the beautifully bizarre and eccentric team at this College World Series. They wear thick beards. Some go shirtless under their jerseys. They have a "Bench Mob." It's unorthodox and perfect. |
| Bulldogs hope for same result in rematch with Beavers | |
| Mississippi State has owned the late innings, especially over the last seven weeks. That proclivity for being clutch could come in handy again today. The Bulldogs (50-18) are back in action at TD Ameritrade Park, taking on Oregon State (52-12) in the College World Series. MSU needs only to win today (2 p.m., ESPN) or Saturday to advance to the best-of-three championship series, which begins Monday. MSU has reached this point thanks in large part to late-game superiority. |
| Mississippi State sees kindred spirit in Oregon State | |
| The players may be different, but the head coach is the same. Oregon State coach Pat Casey experienced this in 2006 when, after losing to Miami (Fla.) in first game of the CWS, the Beaves won six straight to win the national title. "A lot of them have talked to us," OSU catcher Jake Rodriguez said. "Talking to those guys is great. We get huge support and even a few of them are here. Seeing those guys and knowing they went, and Coach Casey, always reiterates that it's been done before." This time around the Beavers need to beat Mississippi State twice after losing to the Bulldogs in the CWS opener. |
| Masters: Grand slam humbling experience | |
| One of the most memorable moments in Mississippi State baseball history was a ninth-inning grand slam hit by Burke Masters in the 1990 Starkville Regional. That blast lifted the Bulldogs past Florida State and helped them reach the College World Series. MSU is back in Omaha, and so is Masters, who was teammates with current coach John Cohen. Masters, who is now a Catholic priest in his home state of Illinois, took a few minutes to speak with the media during Thursday's practice at Creighton University. |
| Add more Dogs to list of legends | |
| Mississippi State's past met its present on Thursday, as Jonathan Holder came off the mound, fielded a bunt and threw to Wes Rea during practice. A few feet away, Burke Masters leaned against the back stop at Creighton's baseball complex, while Jim Ellis asked him questions. Masters' name ranks as high as any in Bulldog lore. His 6-for-6 performance, including a grand slam, in the 1990 super regional helped send Mississippi State to the College World Series. Adam Frazier's 6-for-6 outing in Virginia rekindled those memories, including Ellis' call of the game. |
| Bench Mobb latest embodiment of Bulldogs mojo | |
| Scott Stricklin, Mississippi State's athletics director, received an email from a concerned man in Georgia this week. The issue: The amount of chest hair being shown by Mississippi State's players during Monday's win over Indiana in the College World Series. During the broadcast, ESPN2's cameras kept close watch on the MSU dugout, where the likes of Trevor Fitts, Kendall Graveman and Evan Mitchell had undone at least two buttons on their jerseys. And they weren't wearing undershirts. Because as Fitts has noted on Twitter, several players are part of so-called #teamnoundershirt. Fans who don't care for that look, well, it's not going anywhere. It worked Monday, as MSU rallied in the eighth inning for a 5-4 win, and now it's on the brink of playing for the CWS title. |
| 'Bench Mob' fuels Mississippi State's success | |
| Trevor Fitts received a text message from his mom and high school teammates after Mississippi State's second game of the College World Series. Considering Fitts started the game on the mound and the Bulldogs beat Indiana 5-4, he expected to read congratulatory words; perhaps some comments regarding MSU's frantic ninth inning. Instead, the messages criticized the Mississippi State sophomore -- about his chest. "They were like, 'Fitts, if you're going to be doing that on national television, you've got to hit the tanning bed or something,'" Fitts said. "I'm like, no that takes some mojo away. You've got to be moon-chesting it out there." |
| MSU hopes the Dawgs will have their day at CWS | |
 | Mississippi State is just one win away from appearing in its first College World Series championship finals. MSU will face Oregon State today at 2 p.m. The Beavers, who eliminated Indiana 1-0 on Wednesday, need a victory to force a winner-take-all contest against the Bulldogs on Saturday. "We're going to have to play a complete ballgame and it all starts with getting off to a great start," MSU coach John Cohen said. |
| On the verge of history: MSU baseball one win away from 1st CWS final | |
| The SEC is one of the toughest baseball conferences in college sports, and for Mississippi State's players, it has prepared them for what they're about to face on Friday. As the home team, Mississippi State will take on Oregon State in a 2 p.m. rematch of the CWS opener, which the Bulldogs won 5-4. The grueling schedule the Bulldogs endured throughout the year where they saw the same teams multiple times over the course of the regular season and in the SEC Tournament has prepared them for this moment. The Bulldogs look to become the first program in school history to start 3-0 out in Omaha. |
| Pollorena ready for work after arm soreness | |
| The Mississippi State University baseball coaches are trying to downplay injury concerns about left-handed pitcher Luis Pollorena. The senior, who the Texas Rangers selected in the 23rd round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft earlier this month, hasn't seen action since a June 1 start against the University of South Alabama in the NCAA Starkville Regional. MSU pitching coach Butch Thompson confirmed after a Wednesday morning practice session at Creighton University that Pollorena (6-3, 4.32 ERA) is suffering from a severe strain "in the muscle on the lateral side of his pitching arm between the shoulder and the elbow." |
| Cohen pleased with his pitchers | |
| There is a level of selflessness that has greatly benefited Mississippi State this season, but that doesn't mean players don't want to spend some time on the big stage. That's especially true with the pitchers. The Bulldogs (50-18), who will play Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. for a chance to advance to the championship round of the College World Series, have plenty of options on the mound with three days off between games. |
| Switch-hitter Pirtle fits Bulldogs' identity | |
| Brett Pirtle can thank his father, Mike, for getting a scholarship offer from the Mississippi State University baseball team. If it wasn't for the classic American story of a father teaching his son in the batting cage, MSU might not have had a need for the Tyler, Texas, native. The timing was right last summer, though, when MSU coach John Cohen went looking for a fundamentally sound, switch-hitting infielder and found what he needed in a .222 hitter at Panola (Texas) College. "Brett Pirtle is somebody who's kind of emerged as the guy whose entire game probably puts him in the forefront," Cohen said. "He played like a coach's son that fit our identity (and) what we like to do at the plate and on the bases." |
| Remembering Rosenblatt: Once the hub of CWS activity, old park now has feel of a ghost town | |
| Paul Salazar unloaded a crock pot from the back of a van Wednesday afternoon. Parked on the side of 13th Street, in front of what was once Rosenblatt Stadium, Salazar worked leisurely as he unloaded additional items from the vehicle. There was no rush. There was no traffic. The wind was calm and the day was beautiful. Elsewhere in town, the fifth day of the College World Series was about to crank up at TD Ameritrade Park. Later that night, Oregon State University defeated Indiana, 1-0, in a CWS elimination game. It is hard to believe that three years ago during this week, 13th Street would have appeared much different. Thousands of fans would have been tailgating. The street would remain open but spectators would have made it difficult to pass. Fans might have stopped off for a Zesto's cheeseburger or visited with a ticket scalper or two to shop for a lower ticket price. Eventually, game time would arrive and half of 13th Street would have moved into Rosenblatt Stadium. |
| College World Series: Five things to look for when Mississippi State faces Oregon State Friday | |
 | Mississippi State is one victory away from playing for its first team national championship in any sport. The Bulldogs (50-18) meet Oregon State (52-12) at 2 p.m. Friday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. A victory would put MSU in the best-of-three national championship series beginning Monday, while a loss would force the Bulldogs into an elimination game against the Beavers on Saturday. Here are five things to consider as Mississippi State looks to continue its Omaha hot streak... |
| Recent run just part of Bulldogs' legacy | Brad Locke (Opinion) | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Brad Locke writes: "Mississippi State still needs three more wins to claim its first College World Series championship, but this team is already making history. That's saying something considering the deep tradition of MSU baseball. This is the program's ninth trip to the CWS, the first one coming in 1971 under coach Paul Gregory." |
| MSU, USM, Ole Miss players receive baseball honors | |
| Mississippi State junior outfielder Hunter Renfroe picked up another All-America team honor. Renfroe also joined two other Bulldog players on the American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region team. Renfroe was a first-team selection on both the 2013 Rawlings/ABCA NCAA Division I All-American Team and the ABCA All-South Region Team. Junior shortstop Adam Frazier and sophomore relief pitcher Jonathan Holder of Gulfport were second-team ABCA all-region selections. |
| Turf replacement begins at USM football field | |
 | The facelift for the football field at Roberts Stadium officially is underway. Less than 24 hours after its arrival on the Southern Miss campus, a crew from Hellas Sports Construction, Inc., had started putting down the Matrix Turf just south of the 50-yard line. The $550,000 resurfacing project is expected to be completed by July 1. Work started in April with the removal of the stadium's old covering. The nine-year-old playing surface had been rendered unusable by the Feb. 10 tornado that bulled its way through Hattiesburg and embedded shards of debris in the artificial turf. |
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