Bryce Chance’s rubber bands snap Mississippi State baseball back into NCAA tournament contention.
STARKVILLE — Dudy Noble Field was as glum as it has been all season on April 4.
Mississippi State baseball had just lost the series opener to South Carolina after leading 3-1 in the first inning. The Bulldogs committed two costly errors on consecutive at-bats in the sixth and managed two hits after a great start to the game.Subtle boos from the crowd could be heard as the Bulldogs unraveled. They dropped to 1-9 in the SEC, their worst 10-game start to conference play in program history.
“Pissed off and frustrated. That’s what happens in a time like this,” MSU coach Chris Lemonis said at the time before he was fired on April 28. It might not have directly saved the season, but don’t tell that to the Bulldogs. Mississippi State (29-19, 10-14 SEC) is still in contention for the NCAA tournament with a key three-game home series against No. 22 Ole Miss (33-15, 13-11) starting May 9 (7:30 p.m., SEC Network). Senior outfielder Bryce Chance recognized Mississippi State needed a lifeline. He executed a plan out of a whim the next morning involving rubber bands and negative thoughtsWhat Bryce Chance’s rubber bands do for Mississippi State baseball
Chance was sitting in a pre-game meeting before the South Carolina loss. Shortstop Sawyer Reeves said something to Chance — he doesn’t exactly remember what — but it sparked the idea.
