Round one of the battle of Mississippi would take place with the Governor’s Cup on Tuesday night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, as the Mississippi State and Ole Miss would meet in their annual non-conference midweek tilt before the main show in a few weeks. It’s the one rivalry where records be damned; when Ole Miss and Mississippi State meet on the diamond, drama and exciting baseball are sure to follow.

It always feels like the Mississippi State Bulldogs have the upper hand regarding the baseball rivalry with Ole Miss. Over the last ten games between the two, Mississippi State holds a 6-4 advantage over the Rebels. Coming into the matchup on Tuesday night, the Bulldogs had a two-game winning streak over the Rebels dating back to last season. However, things were different on Tuesday night as the Rebels found a way to send the Bulldogs home with an 8-7 loss.

On the mound for Ole Miss would be Cade Townsend tonight, while Mississippi State had Noah Sullivan out to start on Tuesday night. Cade Townsend gave the Rebels 2.1 innings while allowing four hits and three runs. Sullivan finished his night with 3.1 innings pitching, giving up four hits and two runs. Both starting pitchers combined for five strikeouts, with Townsend finishing with four on the night.

Mississippi State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead over Ole Miss in the top half of the first inning before adding two more runs in the third to make it 3-0 Rebels through the first innings of play on Tuesday night. Ole Miss would cut into the 3-0 deficit with a two-run bottom of the 4th inning to make it 3-2 Bulldogs through four innings of play. A three-run bottom of the 5th inning would propel the Rebels to a 5-3 lead over Mississippi State. The Ole Miss lead would be short-lived as the Bulldogs bats came alive in the 6th inning with four runs across the plate as the Bulldogs retook a 7-5 lead over Ole Miss. As it goes when Mississippi State and Ole Miss meet, the drama continues late in the game as Austin Fawley drills a two-run shot in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game at seven with one out. With a base hit from Will Furniss, the Rebels walk off the Bulldogs 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Both teams needed a win on Tuesday night for different reasons, riding the lows of losing the SEC series. Mississippi State needed a win to keep their postseason hopes alive as they limped into Tuesday night listed as one of the first four out, according to D1 Baseball. For Ole Miss, a win over Mississippi State would give the Rebels a bit of momentum after losing back-to-back SEC series to Tennessee and South Carolina, with an embarrassing midweek loss to Little Rock sandwiched between. Neither team is living up to the standard each school demands, but the Bulldogs escape with the trophy on Tuesday night. However, despite holding a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning, the Bulldogs come away empty-handed once again this season as the Rebels walk things off in the bottom of the 10th.

These two will meet again in Starkville in three weeks. The Bulldogs will welcome the Rebels to Dudy Noble Field for a three-game slate.

Ole Miss will return home to Swayze Field as they welcome Vanderbilt to Oxford for a three-game series starting Friday night.

Mississippi State will remain on the road as they head to the plains to take on the Auburn Tigers in a pivotal three-game SEC series.