An Uber was awaiting Chris Lemonis and a selection of his Mississippi State baseball players on Easter morning, but it wasn’t a move organized by the coach and his staff.

Instead, the ride prepared to take the Bulldogs to Holy Faith Catholic Church for a sunrise service was scheduled by middle infielder David Mershon.

MSU beat Florida 12-2 the night before – a game that featured a local 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Yet amid the competitiveness and exhaustion of that victory, Mershon remained aware of what the next morning meant.

As is the case every Sunday, even on the road, a late Saturday game doesn’t keep Mershon from going to church. The Gainesville trip was no different, and given the significance of the holiday, it was a morning he wanted to share with teammates and coaches.

So he extended the invite, with logistics already taken care of.

“We got up, went and celebrated Easter and celebrated the Lord,” Mershon told the Clarion Ledger. “Then we went and played our game.”

The gesture provided a glimpse into the leader Mershon has become for Lemonis, despite only being a sophomore.

Whether it be through conversations of faith off the field or the echoing of his voice during a game, Mershon is a vital piece to the fabric of a storied program looking to end a two-year postseason drought.

How David Mershon sparks Mississippi State’s offense

Mississippi State (21-12. 6-6 SEC) hosted Georgia last week, needing a series victory before a three-game set at rival Ole Miss (18-15, 3-9) – which opens Friday (7 p.m., SEC Network) at Swayze Field.

MSU held a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning of the series opener, but it wasn’t a comfortable edge considering the strength of Georgia’s offense and the recent struggles of Mississippi State’s late-game pitching. Lemonis’ offense had seen 15 straight hitters get sent down before Mershon stepped up with two outs in the penultimate inning.

He laid down a bunt.

“That’s totally his call,” Lemonis said postgame.

It was the right choice, with Mershon reaching first with ease. The single sparked a four-run frame, helping Mississippi State pull away for a crucial 6-1 victory.

“You have to earn (the staff’s) trust, obviously,” Mershon said. “But once you have … they just let you play.”

Plays such as those demonstrate why Mershon has a career .428 on-base percentage, and has have earned him the label of “scrappy” or “dirtbag.” For Mershon and his four brothers, those traits come from their father Brian.

“He just taught us all to play like that,” Mershon said. “Play with everything we have. Play the game the right way.”

Inside David Mershon’s national anthem performance

Mershon, who is hitting .333 with two home runs this season, has taken pivotal at-bats at Dudy Noble Field, but no moment will top his rendition of the national anthem before the win against Evansville on March 8.

“It was way more nerve-wracking than playing a baseball game,” Mershon said.

None of his teammates or coaches knew it was happening.

Earlier in the year, he reached out to Travis Rae – the team’s sports information director – about his interest in singing. That message was passed on to Abbey Brown who works in fan experience. After auditions and practice sessions in an empty Dudy Noble Field, the performance was set up.

It caught Lemonis and the players by surprise. However, it showed what the Bulldogs already knew about their shortstop.

“David is a lot more than just a baseball player,” Lemonis said. “He's got a lot of cool things about him. He comes from a neat family. He's a great player. He's a fun player. But it's a neat personality. It's a neat kid to have on your team.”

David Mershon’s leadership evident even on the mound

Baseball has become a sped-up game across all levels. College is no exception with the implementation of the pitch clock limiting chances for pitchers to slow down when action gets tight.

However, Mershon has found a loophole – taking timeouts to chat with his pitchers to settle them down.

“It’s a positive voice,” teammate Khal Stephen said. “It’s nice to hear that when you’re out there fighting. Understanding your guys have your back, it feels good.”

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His voice, even when it’s not projected through a microphone, can be heard throughout stadiums. Mershon is often shouting the cliché phrases heard on a diamond since Little League.

That’ll be no different inside a rival ballpark. Mershon will be heard, and he’ll also likely be seen at an Oxford church on Sunday morning.

“He’s a leader,” teammate Connor Hujsak said. “He plays the game the right way. You can see it day-to-day.”

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

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: David Mershon: Mississippi State baseball's leader from field to faith