- Gunnar Johnson Walks Off Notre Dame to Win Weekend Series
- Byline: April 14, 2025
- The stadium buzzed with tension as the sun dipped low over Dudy Noble Field, casting golden light across the dirt and grass. It had been a grueling three-game series between Mississippi State and Notre Dame, with each team claiming one win apiece. Now, in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the game tied 5–5, all eyes turned to freshman phenom Gunnar Johnson.
- Johnson, a 6-foot-1 left-handed hitter from Tupelo, had already made his mark earlier in the series, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in Friday night’s win. But now, with the series on the line, he was staring down Notre Dame’s closer, senior right-hander Jack McGreevy, whose fastball had been untouchable all season.
- With runners on first and second, one out, and the crowd on its feet, Johnson stepped into the box. The first pitch came in hot—94 mph on the black. Strike one. Johnson didn’t flinch. McGreevy followed with a sharp slider that just missed the outside edge. Ball one. Johnson fouled off the next pitch, sending it screaming into the third-base stands. One ball, two strikes.
- Coach Lamont signaled from the dugout, but Johnson didn’t need instructions. He’d seen McGreevy twice already and knew what to expect.
- The next pitch—a hanging curve—came in chest high, and Johnson didn’t miss. He turned on it with explosive torque, sending the ball rocketing to right-center. The crowd exploded as the ball sailed over the head of Notre Dame’s center fielder, landing just shy of the warning track.
- The runner from second was already rounding third. The throw came in, off-target and late. Mississippi State 6, Notre Dame 5. Walk-off. Series won.
- Johnson was mobbed by teammates at second base, fists pumping and shouts echoing through the stadium. The freshman had delivered the biggest hit of his young college career, and Dudy Noble erupted in celebration.
- In the postgame press conference, Coach Lamont didn’t hold back. “That kid’s got ice in his veins,” he said. “He’s been clutch all season, but to come through in that moment—against a pitcher like McGreevy—that says something.”
- For Johnson, it was surreal. “I just wanted a pitch I could drive,” he said, grinning through eye black and a face full of Gatorade. “I wasn’t trying to do too much. I just wanted to get the job done for the team.”
- The win moved Mississippi State to 22–9 on the season and 8–4 in SEC play, while Notre Dame fell to 19–12. More than just a series win, it was a statement. The Bulldogs had found a spark in their youngest player, and momentum was clearly on their side heading into a tough stretch of conference play.
- As the crowd filtered out and the field lights dimmed, one thing was clear: Gunna
- r Johnson had arrived.
