Local products shine on NCAA Baseball Opening Weekend

In a state where college baseball just means more, several local standouts from the Mississippi Gulf Coast are having themselves a weekend at the next level.

Starting right up the road at Southern Miss where we check in with Gulfport alum Blake Johnson. He hosed down two runners in addition to going 3-6 with two runs scored and five RBI across his two starts.

In Oxford, Pearl River Central alum Hayden Dunhurst sniping a throw to second. At the dish, the former Blue Devil going 1-4 with a run and an RBI over his two starts.

Finally, East Central alum Brad Cumbest, going 4-11 with a run and an RBI as well as a stolen base in three games started for Mississippi State.

Other familiar faces making an impact, Vancleave alum Carson Paetow going 1-1 with a double and three runs scored for the Golden Eagles.

In Oxford, Ocean Springs alum Mitch Murrell solid in two innings of relief, allowing just two hits and a run with four strikeouts.

Mississippi State catcher Logan Tanner out of George County going 3-12 with two runs and three RBIs.

Now how did that all translate to team success? Well, Southern Miss beating up on a team that lost 40 games last year, three game sweep for the Golden Eagles, team ERA 0.67.

Same for the Rebels, taking down Charleston Southern in blowout fashion all three games.

Defending National Champion Mississippi State taking a couple days for the bats to wake up, dropping two out of three to visiting Long Beach State, but winning big on Sunday 12-4.