jury’s still out

College baseball’s new ball hasn’t made a big difference — at least not yet — in the power numbers at the state’s Big 4 NCAA Division I schools. Mississippi State, off to a 13-0 start, has been scoring runs aplenty but has belted only six home runs. Brent Rooker is the team leader with two. The Bulldogs hit 16 bombs in 63 games in 2014, with Wes Rea hitting five of those, so they are ahead of that pace. Ole Miss (6-4) has just five homers. Sikes Orvis has hit three, but he hit 14 last year with the old ball. UM hit 42 as a team in 69 games. Southern Miss (5-4-1) has rapped seven homers, on pace to hit more than last year (25 in 60). Connor Barron and Matt Durst have three bombs each for the Golden Eagles. Barron hit four last year, Durst six. Jackson State (5-5) has four homers in its 10 games. Warmer, drier weather, whenever it sets in, would figure to help the hitters, from a comfort standpoint if nothing else.