A whirlwind of emotions surrounded the Mississippi State baseball program following the announcement that former Head Coach Chris Lemonis would no longer be the Head Coach of the Bulldogs baseball team. Shortly after Coach Lemonis’s firing, Justin Parker was announced as the Head Coach of the Bulldogs as they navigated the choppy waters of the last three weeks of play before the postseason starts in Hoover. However, if this past week of Mississippi State baseball foreshadows what’s to come this month, the Bulldog faithful might have a fun and memorable May on the horizon.

Riding the high of a four-game winning streak, the Bulldogs enter Ole Miss week with an excitement not felt in a long time. One week is not enough baseball to base expectations for a whole month on, but the Bulldogs seem to be playing their best baseball under the leadership of interim Head Coach Justin Parker. From scoring 18 runs against Memphis to a combined 26 runs against Kentucky, the Bulldogs’ bats seem to come alive for the first time all season.

Then you had the pitching staff last week who combined to give up 15 runs to Memphis and Kentucky. Even the pitching staff looked more loose and prepared for the challenge ahead.

As the Bulldogs look to navigate Ole Miss week, the ultimate challenge for Coach Parker and his Bulldogs will be channeling the emotions of the week ahead and focusing on the larger picture. Sure, college baseball has no bigger rivalry than the battle for Mississippi. Still, the Bulldogs are now zeroing in on reaching an NCAA Regional while chasing a return to the College World Series. Just a little over a week ago, many left the Bulldogs for dead, but following a sweep of the week, there’s life in the hallowed halls of Dudy Noble Field for the first time this season.

So, where does Mississippi State go from here?

If the Bulldogs continue to win baseball games, not only will they be in a Regional, but depending on what happens the next few weeks, there’s an outside chance that Mississippi State could backdoor their way into a top-16 seed and earn a position to host a Starkville Regional. A lot has to happen, including taking the next two series over Missouri and Ole Miss and then making a run in Hoover to Saturday of the Southeastern Conference; at that point, the conversation will likely happen to make Mississippi State a top-16 seed if not a high two seed in a winnable regional.

As far as the coaching search goes? Nobody knows. Names have been thrown around, like Brian O’Connor at Virginia, but if the Bulldogs continue winning, there’s a legitimate chance that Coach Justin Parker will see his interim tag removed. What are the other names to watch as this coaching search continues? Nick Mingione, Wes Johnson, Skip Johnson, Chris Pollard, and Will Coggin are among a few names tossed around as potential replacements for Coach Lemonis at Mississippi State.

Mississippi State will welcome the 24th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels to Dude Noble Field for a massive three-game series starting Friday night.