MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2013 2nd Extraordinary Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Ward, Jackson (15th), Browning

Senate Concurrent Resolution 513

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 2013 MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY "BULLDOGS" BASEBALL TEAM AND COACH JOHN COHEN FOR THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASON IN MSU BASEBALL HISTORY.

HAIL STATE !!!

     WHEREAS, in a season of many first the 2013 Mississippi State Bulldogs Baseball Team fell two wins shy of history.  Mississippi State (51-20) swept through its bracket and entered the finals with UCLA on a six-game winning streak.  UCLA (49-17), halted MSU's run at the school's first National Title with an 8-0 victory in Game 2 of the College World Series Championship Series in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 25, 2013.  MSU began the season with 17 straight wins, and despite the finish, it was a groundbreaking season for the Bulldogs, whose 51 wins were the second most in school history.  MSU's runner-up finish in the College World Series is the best ever, surpassing the 1985 team, which finished third; and

     WHEREAS, the Mississippi State University "Bulldogs" Baseball Team clinched its ninth appearance in the College World Series with a dramatic 6-5 win over No. 6 National Seed Virginia on Monday, June 10, 2013, at Davenport Field to clinch the Charlottesville Super Regional.  With that victory, the Bulldogs swept the Super Regional best-of-three series and won its second-ever Super Regional in five-career tries; and

     WHEREAS, Mississippi State University advanced to the College World Series for the first time since 2007 and played for a first time in the new College World Series home, TD Ameritrade Park.  Mississippi State University swept No. 3 National Seed Oregon State in the opening round of the eight-team double-elimination College World Series.  The win placed MSU in its first College World Series final in program history.  The Bulldogs had won three in a row.  No previous MSU team had won more than two games in Omaha.  With one swing of the bat, Hunter Renfroe rewrote Mississippi State history.  His fifth-inning swing sent the ball over the left field wall at TD Ameritrade Park for a three-run homer, propelling the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance in the College World Series final with a 4-1 win over Oregon State; and

     WHEREAS, the Bulldogs were in the finals after receiving an at-large bid to the Tournament.  MSU bounced national seeds Virginia (super regional) and Oregon State (twice in College World Series).  Mississippi State suffered one loss since its exit in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.  Central Arkansas took a game from the Bulldogs in the Starkville Regional and was the only team to beat MSU this postseason; and

     WHEREAS, in his fifth season in Starkville, John Cohen led the Bulldogs to their first College World Series Final.  It's the third straight season Cohen guided MSU to the NCAA Tournament.  Cohen, as a player and coach, has had a part in three of the Bulldogs' four seasons with as many wins.  The trip to the College World Series marked Coach John Cohen's first trip back to the College World Series since he played for Mississippi State University in 1990; and

     WHEREAS, a trio of Mississippi State players were selected in the third day of Major League Baseball's 2013 First-Year Player Draft.  The latest Diamond Dogs to be tabbed in the pro draft are pitcher Evan Mitchell of Marietta, Georgia, infielder/pitcher Daryl Norris of Fairhope, Alabama, and pitcher Luis Pollorene of Laredo, Texas.  Mitchell (0-1, 3.74) was selected in the 13th round by the Cincinnati Reds (405th overall pick), while Norris (.219/0-0, 6.23) went to the Detroit Tigers in the 22nd round (666th) pick), and Pollorena (6-3, 4.32) was taken by the Texas Rangers in the 23rd round (700th pick).  Mississippi State University has had seven players taken in this year's draft, including four in the first 10 rounds.  A school record - eight Diamond Dogs had their name called during the 2003 draft; and

     WHEREAS, the 2013 Diamond Dog Roster is:  Demarcus Henderson, Alex Detz, Ben Bracewell, Daryl Norris, Derrick Armstrong, Jacob Robson, Sam Frost, Tyler Fullerton, C.T. Bradford, Adam Frazier, Brett Pirtle, Jonathan Holder, Matthew Britton, Nick Ammirati, Chad Girodo, Daniel Garner, Jacob Lindgren, Luis Pollorena, Kyle Hann, Brandon Woodruff, Nick Flair, Cody Brown, John Marc Shelly, Mitch Slauter, Trevor Fitts, Trey Porter, Preston Brown, Hunter Renfroe, Wes Rea, Zach Randolph, Will Cox, Anthony Anello, Wes Stokes, Myles Gentry, Ross Mitchell, Kendall Graveman and Evan Mitchell; Head Coach John Cohen; Associate Head Coach Butch Thompson; Assistant Coach Nick Mingione; Coordinator of Baseball Operations Tyler Bratton; Coordinator of Camps Jake Wells; and Assistant Strength Coach Greg Drye; and

     WHEREAS, for Mississippi State fans, baseball is a great tradition and one that matters all year long, year after year, decade after decade.  The goal is always to win the SEC, always to make it to NCAA Regional play, and always to advance to the College World Series.  They love Dudy Noble Field and the Left Field Lounge.  They love the energy of the record crowds that gather there.  The 2013 sojourn to Omaha by Coach John Cohen and the MSU Bulldogs has raised an already storied baseball history to new and unprecedented heights.  They were closer to a major sports NCAA National Championship than MSU has ever been - closer even than the storied 1985 MSU Squad, closer to an undisputed NCAA Division 1 major sport National Championship than any Mississippi university had been since 1960.  For Mississippi State this has been a dream baseball season.  It has been about a MSU baseball team that has earned a program-best 3.38 grade point average this year while winning 51 games to get to the College World Series Championship Series.  As Jack Cristil liked to say, "wrap it in Maroon and White":

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the 2013 Mississippi State University "Bulldogs" Baseball Team and Coach John Cohen for sweeping the Charlottesville Super Regional against National Seed Virginia and advancing to its first College World Series appearance since 2007, and for sweeping into the College World Series Finals which represented the most successful season in MSU baseball history, and we extend our best wishes for future success.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Cohen and Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum for the team, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.