pitch or cut bait

There are several series of significance for state college teams this weekend. Ole Miss at LSU. Mississippi State at Georgia. Jackson State at Mississippi Valley. Delta State hosting Christian Brothers. Etc. But pay particularly close attention to Mississippi College’s trip to East Texas Baptist; they play one game tonight and a doubleheader on Saturday. MC, nationally ranked in preseason, is 12-11 and 2-4 in the Division III American Southwest Conference. The Choctaws need to win this series, maybe even sweep. It can be done. ETBU is an unimpressive 9-17 and 3-6. It’s odd what has happened to MC, which lost several key bats and arms from last year’s record-setting club that almost made the D-III World Series. The Choctaws have found new hitting heroes: Spencer Brunson is raking at a .473 clip; Stuart Magee is at .404 with six homers and 31 RBIs. It’s pitching that has let MC down in what has been a year of the pitcher everywhere else. The staff ERA has soared to 5.04, among the worst in the ASC. Top starters Stephen Byrd (2-1, 5.01) and Scott Truesdale (2-2, 5.64) have been knocked around. Bubba Davis, who has the team’s only two saves, has a 7.71 ERA. Daniel Cowart, who figured to have a prominent role as either a starter or closer, is 0-4 with an 8.44. Only Craig Mackay (2-0, 3.38 in four starts) has been consistently effective. Coach Brian Owens said before the season that he had confidence in his pitching staff. It’s time they justified it.