Mississippi State Baseball Wins Governor’s Cup Over Ole Miss 2024

Mississippi State defeated Ole Miss 7-3 in the Governor’s Cup on April 28, marking the Bulldogs’ ninth consecutive win in the series and securing a season sweep over the Rebels.

The victory held particular significance for first-year Mississippi State coach Brian O’Connor, who was informed by university president Mark Keenum of the importance of winning the Governor’s Cup shortly after being hired. “My third day on the job, President (Mark) Keenum brought me up to his office, and he said, ‘Coach, there’s nothing more important than the Governor’s Cup,’” O’Connor said, according to reporting from the Mississippi Clarion Ledger.

The Governor’s Cup is a nonconference midweek matchup between the two SEC rivals. O’Connor added, “Obviously, (Keenum’s) got a tremendous amount of pride in this state… We’re excited to take that trophy home to him and bring it to Starkville.”

Mississippi State, currently ranked No. 9 with a record of 35-10, triumphed over No. 18 Ole Miss (31-15) at Trustmark Park in Jackson, Mississippi. The win was particularly meaningful for freshman outfielder Jacob Parker, who previously won an MHSAA state championship at the same stadium while playing for Purvis High School in 2023 and was a runner-up in 2025.

Parker contributed to the Bulldogs’ offensive effort, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. “It was fun,” Parker said. “Obviously, you’re playing against your rivals, so we want to go out there and win, but it was a fun game… Obviously, we’re competing not in Starkville, not in Oxford, but in Jackson, the capital… and I thought it was pretty special to compete in front of those fans.”

Bulldogs’ Dominance in the Governor’s Cup

Mississippi State’s win extends their winning streak in the Governor’s Cup to nine games. According to a 2024 report from Hail State, the Bulldogs have won 11 of the 16 Governor’s Cup games played, and had previously won the two games prior to this year’s victory.

Pitching Performance

While details on the 2026 pitching matchup were not immediately available, the 2024 Governor’s Cup saw Pico Kohn start for Mississippi State, pitching four innings and allowing one earned run while striking out five. Karson Ligon and Cam Schuelke followed, pitching hitless innings with two strikeouts each. Tyler Davis earned the win, and Tyson Hardin closed out the game.

Offensive Highlights

In the 2024 game, eight of nine Mississippi State starters recorded a hit. Dakota Jordan went 3-for-5, and Hunter Hines went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Connor Hujsak scored the winning run in the eighth inning after reaching first on a wild pitch. David Mershon added two RBIs with an eighth-inning double.