Sports

Mississippi State Baseball Applauded For Exceptional Sportsmanship Offering Contrast To Arrogant Rival

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images


The Mississippi State baseball team beat Louisiana in NCAA Tournament play to advance to the Super Regional. They will face SEC rival Georgia in the next round.

The two sides boast contrasting styles in terms of on-field antics. Mississippi State has been applauded for its exceptional sportsmanship. Georgia has been punished for excessive celebration.

That unsportsmanlike conduct will have direct impacts on the upcoming series. One side will be without a top contributor in Game 1.

Mississippi State baseball is all class.

The Bulldogs do not disrespect opponents. Bat flips are kept to a minimum. Taunting is discouraged. Head coach Brian O’Connor teaches discipline and humility.

Players just play the game. In a day and age when showboating is encouraged at all levels of baseball, it’s welcomed.

That’s not to say there’s no emotion. Mississippi State is just able to show it without attracting the spotlight.

The Bulldogs could show up their rivals if they wanted. They’ve earned the right to be arrogant. Mississippi State is 43-17 after sweeping through the Starkville Regional. They have positioned themselves to make a run to Omaha.

Louisiana coach Matt Deggs believes they can win it all. He’s rooting for them to do so after facing the team in the postseason.

Mississippi State beat the Ragin’ Cajuns 19-5 to end Louisiana’s season. It would’ve been easy for the Bulldogs to get cocky.

They didn’t. Deggs took notice.

“Tip of the cap to Mississippi State,” he said. “That is a team… that can go win the whole thing. I’ll be pulling for them. They play the game the right way.”

The Bulldogs received praise in its regional for strong sportsmanship during a blowout win. It came while its upcoming opponent drew negative attention in Athens.

Tre Phelps was ejected.

The slugger is the team’s top hitter, batting .370 with 19 home runs. He hit his last bomb in a win over Liberty on Sunday. He was tossed after rounding the bases.

Phelps was animated after the blast, which turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead. It was a big moment! It was also a costly one.

Umpires believed Phelps was taunting the opposing dugout. Head coach Wes Johnson insists he was simply waving at his parents in the stands.

Whether you agree the ejection was warranted or not, Phelps gave the umpire an excuse to throw him out the game.

Even before the controversial taunt/wave, he admired the shot from the batter’s box. He had to be pushed down the first base line by the home plate ump.

It then took Phelps more than 30 seconds to round the bases. He gestured throughout his trot to the point Liberty players began speaking out. The Flames head coach vocalized his agitation to the officiating crew.

The scene could not have been more different than what was experienced at Mississippi State.

Freshman slugger Jacob Parker went yard twice in the Bulldogs’ win over Louisiana. Each time, he softly placed the bat on the ground and scurried out of the box. There was little animation. Nothing was excessive.

Mississippi State hit eight home runs on Sunday. Each celebration mirrored the other.

Parker spurned the spotlight to enjoy the moment with his teammates while Phelps attracted negative attention by showboating. One response earned the respect of an opponent. The other received criticism to force an ejection.

As a result, Parker will be on the field when the two teams face off this weekend. Phelps will watch from the bench while serving a one-game suspension.