WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today spoke from the Senate floor to honor the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team for winning the 2021 NCAA College World Series.

“Senator Hyde-Smith and I could not be more delighted to rise this afternoon and recognize Mississippi State University and their baseball team on their first national championship in school history in any sport,” Wicker said.

In his speech, Wicker recognized head coach Chris Lemonis, who was named Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. He also acknowledged pitcher Will Bednar, who earned Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series, outfielder Tanner Allen, the SEC Player of the Year, and the six players named to this year’s College World Series All-Tournament Team.

“They have made Mississippi State and the entire Magnolia State of Mississippi proud,” Wicker said.

“In the words of the late Jack Cristil, the Voice of the Bulldogs for many, many years, ‘You can wrap this one in the maroon and white.’”

Last week, Wicker, along with U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and U.S Representative Michael Guest, R-Miss., introduced a resolution honoring the Mississippi State University baseball team.

Full remarks below, as delivered:

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Hyde-Smith and I be allowed to use a prop or two during our next presentation.

My first prop is a front page story from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Mr. President, on Thursday, July 1, 2021. It says “Hail State! Bulldogs are National Champions,” and it says, “Mississippi State celebrates after winning the College World Series nine to nothing against Vanderbilt after the deciding game three Wednesday in Omaha. See Full Coverage Sports 1B” – that’s my other prop, Mr. President. And that headline also says, “Best in Show. Decisive win delivers first national title for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.”

Mr. President, Senator Hyde-Smith and I could not be more delighted to rise this afternoon and recognize Mississippi State University and their baseball team on their first national championship in school history in any sport.

The Bulldogs had been to the College World Series 11 times in the past, and that in itself is a remarkable achievement. And they even got to the championship series once, in 2013. But this year was the year it finally all came together under Head Coach Chris Lemonis.

They say good pitching wins baseball games. And in this case, it certainly helped Mississippi State win the College World Series.

The hype had been building around MSU by the time they arrived in Omaha in mid-June. After beating Texas and then Virginia, and then again beating Texas on a walk-off hit at the bottom of the ninth, the Dawgs advanced to the championship round to face Vanderbilt. 

The Bulldogs dropped the series opener. But the next day, on the strength of pitching from Houston Harding and Preston Johnson, who combined to throw a four-hitter, State bounced back with a 13-2 victory. 

They carried that momentum into Game 3, where Will Bednar and Landon Sims took the mound and held Vandy to a single hit. The Bulldogs won in a 9-0 shutout to bring the national title home for the first time ever to Starkville, Mississippi.

I want to offer my congratulations to Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis, who was named Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Congratulations are also in order for Will Bednar, who won Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series, and outfielder Tanner Allen, the SEC Player of the Year. He was also named the American Baseball Coaches Association’s National Player of the Year.

In addition, six Bulldogs were named to this year’s College World Series All-Tournament Team: Logan Tanner, Luke Hancock, Lane Forsythe, Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan, and Will Bednar.

I want to commend the Mississippi State Bulldog team for their tireless work throughout the season and for their outstanding achievement. They have made Mississippi State and the entire Magnolia State of Mississippi proud.

In the words of the late Jack Cristil, the Voice of the Bulldogs for many, many years, “You can wrap this one in the maroon and white.”