Bulldogs fall to No. 10 Southern Miss in close 7-6 loss

Mississippi State's comeback effort falls short after early mistakes put them in a hole

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The No. 4 Mississippi State Bulldogs traveled to Hattiesburg to take on the No. 10 Southern Miss Golden Eagles, but an early 4-0 deficit proved too much to overcome despite a valiant comeback effort. Mistakes like a dropped pop-up and wild pitches led to runs for Southern Miss, and while the Bulldogs battled back to take a 6-5 lead in the 7th inning, the Golden Eagles rallied to score two runs in the 8th and hold on for the 7-6 victory.

Why it matters

This tough loss for the highly-ranked Bulldogs comes just two days after another heartbreaking defeat, raising questions about the team's ability to bounce back from adversity as they prepare to enter SEC play. The game also highlighted the challenges of playing on the road against a top-10 opponent, with the Bulldogs struggling early before mounting their comeback.

The details

Mississippi State starting pitcher Brendan Sweeney struggled early, giving up 4 runs in the first two innings including a 450-foot home run. The Bulldogs fell behind 5-0 before starting to chip away, scoring 3 runs in the 5th inning and taking the lead 6-5 in the 7th. However, Southern Miss rallied for 2 runs in the 8th to retake the lead and hold on for the win. The Bulldogs outhit the Golden Eagles 9-7 but were hurt by 10 strikeouts and 6 walks.

  • The game took place on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
  • Mississippi State had just suffered a heartbreaking loss in Arlington, Texas two days prior.

The players

Brendan Sweeney

The Mississippi State starting pitcher who struggled early, giving up 4 runs in the first two innings.

Drey Barrett

The Southern Miss player who hit a 450-foot home run in the 1st inning to give the Golden Eagles an early 3-0 lead.

Reed Stallman

The Mississippi State senior who went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including a key 2-run single in the 7th inning to give the Bulldogs the lead.

Brian O'Connor

The Mississippi State head coach who acknowledged his team's competitive spirit in the middle and late parts of the game, but felt they didn't do enough early on the road against a tough opponent.

Parker Rhodes

The Mississippi State freshman pitcher who came in and threw 2 scoreless innings to keep the Bulldogs in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I think we have one of the toughest teams in the country. The amount of adversity we went through, to fight back it was pretty impressive.”

— Parker Rhodes, Mississippi State Freshman Pitcher (on3.com)

“It takes what it takes at the end of the day. You've got to come ready to play every day. Nobody's going to feel sorry that you're on the road. You've got to play your best job.”

— Reed Stallman, Mississippi State Senior (on3.com)

What’s next

The Bulldogs will look to get back on track this weekend as they host Lipscomb for a 3-game series, with the first game on Friday at 6pm.

The takeaway

Despite the tough loss, this game showed the resilience and competitive spirit of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who fought back from an early deficit against a top-10 opponent on the road. However, the early mistakes and inability to fully capitalize on their comeback opportunities proved costly, highlighting areas the team will need to improve as they prepare to enter SEC play.