How Mississippi State beat Ole Miss in the Governor's Cup

Mississippi State finished off a season sweep of Ole Miss on Tuesday, beating the Rebels 4-2 at Trustmark Park.

It was Brent Rooker's three-run home run, his 17th of the season, in the fifth inning that proved to be the key hit. Rooker doubled and scored in the eighth inning to provide an insurance run.

Denver McQuary (1-1) got the win for the Bulldogs, giving up two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Ole Miss starter Greer Holston (2-3) gave up three runs in six innings.

Ole Miss (25-16) did not lack for opportunities, but was 3-of-14 with runners in scoring position. Thomas Dillard and Cooper Johnson each scored in the two-run sixth inning.

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END OF EIGHT

Ole Miss put another runner on third, but a groundout ends the inning. To the ninth we go.

MIDDLE EIGHT

Ole Miss catcher Cooper Johnson is a defensive stud, and his throw-out at third base to end that inning was an example why. But it came after Brent Rooker doubled and scored on a Ryan Gridley RBI hit, and it's 4-2 State.

END OF SEVEN

Ole Miss put runners on the corners in the seventh, but MSU reliever Trysten Barlow got them out of it. Still 3-2.

END OF SIX

Tate Blackman doubles, and it's 3-2 MSU. But Will Golsan grounds out to end the sixth inning.

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Ole Miss is on the board. Thomas Dillard hit a double down the line in right field, and Cooper Johnson drives him in with a hit up the middle. Johnson is at second on the throw home (which was way off). Peyton Plumlee has come on in relief of Denver McQuary.

In short, things have picked up here at Trustmark. 3-1 State.

MIDDLE SIX

Ole Miss gets out of the inning throwing Tanner Poole out stealing at second. He did not look to be out.

END OF FIVE

We have runs, and — shocker — Brent Rooker is responsible. Home run No. 17 over the LF wall puts State up 3-0.

END OF FOUR

Well, I picked a heck of a game to start doing live updates from.

0-0.

MIDDLE THIRD

MSU got Brent Rooker to the plate with Hunter Stovall on second and two outs, but Holston gets Rooker out swinging to end the inning. Good at-bat for Holston, who wasn't afraid to attack Rooker by putting balls in the zone.

END OF SECOND

Grae Kessinger and Tate Blackman drew two-out walks in the bottom half of the inning for the Rebels, but Will Golsan strikes out with a full count and we're headed to the third still scoreless.

END OF FIRST

Denver McQuary had his issues in the first, loading the bases with a couple of walks and a base hit, but induces an inning-ending 4-3 groundout from Tim Rowe to escape without a run being scored. Good for McQuary, but also bad for Ole Miss, which has certainly had its issues with timely hitting this season.

MIDDLE FIRST

Took Greer Holston all of eight pitches to get through the first inning. Jake Mangum swung at the first pitch and hit a line drive to center, starting off a trend in the 1-2-3 first.

PREGAME

Hello everyone from Trustmark Park in Pearl, where Ole Miss and Mississippi State are set to play in the annual Governor's Cup game. No. 13 MSU is looking for the season sweep against Ole Miss, which could use the win in its bid to make the postseason.

MSU beat writer Will Sammon has the preview, and here are the lineups:

The winner of the Governor's Cup is usually the one who gets the best pitching performance from its starter. Both sides are throwing out freshman: MSU's Denver McQuary struggled here last month against Southern Miss, but is capable and gave up one run on three innings against Ole Miss on March 31. Ole Miss' Greer Holston has some good — six shutout innings against USM — and some bad — four runs on six hits in five innings against UAPB last week.

The game is on SEC Network, but I'll have live updates throughout.