STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball typically gives its university a different vibe in late May. While most schools are sending students home for quiet summer days until football season, MSU usually is gearing up for the heart of college baseball’s postseason.

The Bulldogs are in the mix for SEC regular season titles in those years. MSU is packing up for a trip to Hoover, Alabama, for the conference tournament. Crowds swarm to Dudy Noble Field for regionals and, if things go well, super regionals. A perfect summer isn't complete until the College World Series begins with maroon and white faithful bringing the passion to Omaha, Nebraska.

That’s how the best Mississippi State seasons go – and that’s how they went in coach Chris Lemonis’ first two full seasons, capped by a national championship in 2021. But Saturday’s 15-10 loss against Texas A&M (32-23, 14-16 SEC), with MSU eliminated from postseason contention, marked the start of another long and quiet summer in Starkville.

Mississippi State (27-26, 9-21) has missed the SEC tournament in back-to-back seasons. Like its rival Ole Miss, MSU has fallen into whatever curse is placed on baseball teams in the Magnolia State after winning national titles.

“What you learn is recruit harder, do more so you don’t get in this situation and coach better,” Lemonis said of what the last two years have taught him. “It’s a really tough league.”

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While MSU entered Saturday mathematically in the hunt for the final SEC tournament spot, its chances were slim after losing Friday. The 6-4 loss felt, in some ways, like a microcosm of a disappointing two years.

Mississippi State’s offense struggled but did enough to take a 4-3 lead heading into the ninth inning. MSU was three outs away from extending its SEC winning streak to four with closer Aaron Nixon on the mound.

Instead, a three-run home run from Jace LaViolette put the Aggies back out in front. It was a fitting ending for MSU considering its pitching woes the past two years, particularly out of the bullpen. It was complemented by a questionable decision from Lemonis to pitch to a slugger with two home runs in the game before the crucial at-bat.

“We need a couple premium arms, for sure,” Lemonis said. “I know we need that to be able to help us out.”

Freshman switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje started the finale, allowing six runs in three innings to close his ERA at 8.20. He highlights a freshman staff with evident potential needing proper development.

The biggest task for Lemonis this offseason will be finding Scott Foxhall’s replacement as pitching coach so players such as Cijntje and Evan Siary don’t follow in the footsteps of veteran teammates who struggled to replace stars from the 2021 team.

Offensively, it was fitting the likes of Dakota Jordan, David Mershon and Ross Highfill ignited rallies throughout the final series. MSU hit 90 home runs for just the fourth time in program history and for the second consecutive season, but the pop was once again wasted.

That core will carry the pressure of continuing offensive success under Lemonis and hitting coach Jake Gautreau. But their freshmen teammates on the mound will have to pick up their play to bring a busy summer to Starkville in 2024.

“I feel confident that (AD Zac Selmon) is confident in us,” Lemonis said. “We know how to coach. We have an area we’ve got to fix, and we’ve got to get it right. I’m confident we can get this going.”

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What Chris Lemonis must do to fix Mississippi State's baseball woes