South Bound & Down
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2016 Governor’s Cup Hosts Largest Crowd in Trustmark Park History

By Ben Richardson

Jun 21, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels left fielder Braxton Lee (11) heads to the dugout after being stranded on base in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Virginia Cavaliers during game twelve of the 2014 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Virginia won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 21, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels left fielder Braxton Lee (11) heads to the dugout after being stranded on base in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Virginia Cavaliers during game twelve of the 2014 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Virginia won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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How do you set a record for attendance in college baseball?  Well, if you have ranked in-state rivals ranked number 4 and number 12 in the country you’re off to a good start.  Add a neutral location, and perfect weather, and now, you’ve got a shot to set a record.  That is exactly the feat No. 4 Mississippi State and No. 12 Ole Miss pulled off last night.  According to the Mississippi Braves twitter account, last night’s Governor’s Cup set a stadium record for the 2nd time in the last 3 years.

Their post said that last night’s Governor’s Cup set a record for attendance, as 8,542 were present towatch the No 4. Mississippi State Bulldogs shut out the No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels, 4-0.  The prior record for attendance at Trustmark Park was 8,496, also set by a crowd that arrived to see the Governor’s Cup in 2014.

How did they do that?  No, literally, how did they fit 8,542 people in there?  According to milb.com, the stadium supports a max capacity of 8,480!  When your attendance out grows your stadium’s max capacity, you’re doing things.

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The attendance records for the Governor’s Cup speaks to a louder movement going on in the SEC, and that is the excitement building around SEC baseball the last couple of years.  Buzz around the region and attendance at games continue to be amongst the highest in the country. This weeks rankings saw 7 SEC teams in the top 20 no matter what rankings you chose to view at

ncaa.com

.  In the USA Today Coach’s Poll, the SEC held 4 of the top 5 spots as No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 4 Mississippi State, and No. 5 South Carolina left No. 3 Miami as the only non-SEC team in the top 5.

The great rankings are no fluke, and show no favoritism.  According to the RPI rankings at ncaa.com, the SEC also has 4 of the top 5 schedules ranked in the RPI.  Florida has the highest RPI ranking in the country, as Louisville comes in at 2.  South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss have an RPI ranking of 3, 4 and 5.  Not only are SEC teams dominating, but they are dominating great competition.

Many teams in the SEC will have their seasons defined by whether or not they reach Omaha this year.  The state of Mississippi is central to a couple of teams on a crash course for Omaha.  Anything short of a trip to Omaha will be met with disappointment by Ole Miss and Mississippi State fans alike.  The Governor’s Cup is always a big deal in Mississippi, but as of late, this game has helped in deciding the order of power in the SEC West.  Last night was no different.

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