It’s been a season of unpredictability for Mississippi State baseball.

Mississippi State’s first series in Texas was nearly canceled because of a winter storm. The first home games had limited attendance with zip-ties bounding empty seats. The Bulldogs suffered setbacks at the hands of Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and a couple run-rules at the SEC Tournament.

Despite all the madness, the season will end in a familiar place—Omaha, Nebraska. For the third-consecutive season, Mississippi State is headed to the College World Series after an 11-7 win over Notre Dame in front of over 11,000 people.

“When you decide to go to Mississippi State, Omaha is the aspiration,” Lemonis said. “It’s why we have the ballpark we do, the fans we do. Our goal is to keep it moving. All these players in the program have experienced it, that just continues to grow, and it makes the expectations even higher.”

Houston Harding, last weekend’s darling for his performance in game three of the Regional, started for the Bulldogs. His second batter of the game sent a shot to right field to give the Irish an early lead. In the bottom half, State responded. Luke Hancock scored Rowdey Jordan on an RBI single to tie the ballgame.

Harding came back from the solo shot with a 1-2-3 frame. Then, the Bulldog bats exploded.

The bases were loaded with no outs after a single and two walks. Rowdey Jordan grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Brad Cumbest. Tanner Allen plated Kellum Clark with a sac fly. Kamren James singled, bringing home Jordan. State led, 4-1, as Logan Tanner stepped to the plate after a Luke Hancock walk. He sent Dudy Noble Field into a frenzy with a three-run bomb to leftcenterfield. 7-1 MSU.

“He had gone fastball a couple time then went changeup, and I hadn’t seen the slider yet,” Tanner said. “I had a feeling he would go slider at 1-2, I saw it up, and I was able to put a good swing on it. It went out, and I kind of blacked out after that.”

Notre Dame cut into the lead in the 3rd with a double and a single. Tanner Allen snatched that run right back with a solo home run. In the 4th, Harding forced a line-out to right field, stranding a runner and ending his outing. Four innings, two runs, four strikeouts.

“I found out I would start last night about an hour or so after the game,” Harding said. “Coach Foxhall called and asked if I’m busy tonight around 6 o’clock. Mentally, this is something I have dreamed about since the time I first picked up a baseball. I think that piece was already taken care of.”

Logan Tanner, fresh off his three-run jack, got things started in the home half with a double. He advanced to 3rd on a Scotty Dubrule sac bunt, and he promptly came home on a Brad Cumbest double. Make it back-to-back RBI doubles after Kellum Clark added one of his own. Mississippi State led, 10-2, through four.

The Irish clawed their way back. Stone Simmons relived Harding and gave up back-to-back singles, scoring a run. A walk and a two-RBI double cut the Bulldog lead to five. Simmons limited the damage with a groundout and a strikeout.

In the bottom half, State added to their lead. Tanner Allen led off with a double, and he advanced to 3rd on a Kamren James groundout. Scotty Dubrule followed suit with an RBI single to give State a six-run advantage.

Landon Sims entered the game. He sat down the Irish in order.

In the 7th, Notre Dame led off with a walk, and Niko Kavadas launched one out of the stadium. It was suddenly a four-run ballgame. Sims rebounded to that home run the way he always does, by striking out the side. Dudy Noble Field was busting at the seams.

The Irish singled to lead off the 9th. Then, they singled again. After a big swinging strikeout, Kavadas stepped up to the plate once more. Four-run game. One out.

Ground ball to Lane Forsythe, who flipped it to Scotty Dubrule. Dubrule to Josh Hatcher. Double play. Ballgame. Dog pile. Omaha for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

It was a year of unknowns and unpredictability. What started as a season with barely 3,000 people in attendance ended with over 40,000 over three games and a third-straight trip to Omaha.

“It’s been one of the hardest years of my career,” Lemonis said. “Not wins and losses, but the COVID piece. It’s just been crazy all year long. As a coach, you want to control everything, but a lot was on the player this year. Our guys were very responsible, and they handled themselves. But, it’s all worth it when you get to this point. It brings joy to you because you know how special it is.”