STARKVILLE — Justin Parker was succeeding as South Carolina baseball's pitching coach.

In his two seasons, the Gamecocks went from a program below .500 to a team just two wins away from the College World Series. Yet in June he left to join coach Chris Lemonis at Mississippi State – a program coming off back-to-back years with no postseason appearance after winning the national title in 2021.

How did it happen?

It started with a trip to Starkville in late March. The Gamecocks took two of three against the Bulldogs, but the culture and tradition of Mississippi State within Dudy Noble Field caught Parker’s attention.

“The place is unbelievable,” Parker told the Clarion Ledger. “The history, the tradition, the fanbase, the facilities, the people – just the total experience was incredible.”

Next came a circle shared by Lemonis and Parker. A month after losing the series against South Carolina, Lemonis fired pitching coach Scott Foxhall – creating a search that extended into mid-June. Eventually, Parker emerged as the top candidate.

Lemonis, a South Carolina native, had never shared a dugout with Parker, but it didn’t feel that way. Parker is a native of Indiana who was part of the staff that replaced Lemonis when he left the Hoosiers for the Bulldogs in 2018. Between the mutual friends, players and coaches they’ve met along their similar career paths, it was easy to get word on whether the move to Starkville was a worthwhile one.

“I couldn’t find anybody that said a bad thing about (Lemonis),” Parker said.

And the opportunity to have an impact for one of college baseball’s premier programs was to big to pass up.

“One thing that drew me maybe more than anything else was just the challenge – the opportunity here, having been on the field and seeing some of the talent that maybe wasn’t performing at the level they were capable of but knowing that there was potential there,” Parker said.

What can Jurrangelo Cijntje and Bradley Loftin become?

To improve from last year’s SEC-worst 7.01 ERA, Parker needs a healthy starting rotation with consistency. As pitchers Jurrangelo Cijntje and Bradley Loftin enter their sophomore year, a jump in production could make them elite options.

Cijntje was the talk of the SEC entering 2023 due to his ability to pitch with both arms. However, a lack of control hurt him en route to an 8.10 ERA. The plan remains for Cijntje to throw with both arms, which is why he focused on throwing from the left side over the summer.

“Right-handed, he’s an animal,” Parker said. “Left-handed was good, it just wasn’t as dynamic as he was right-handed. What we’ve seen this summer and what he’s showing us so far this fall is he’s taken a step in the right direction left-handed.”

Loftin, a left-handed pitcher, collected 43 strikeouts in 26⅓ innings, but he allowed 28 walks and didn’t pitch after an April 7 outing against Alabama due to injury.

“Part of the struggles last year were also things that we’re going to reap the rewards of this year,” Parker said. “This is a hard league for everybody, but it’s a really hard league for freshman.”

Veterans getting healthy, establishing culture

Mississippi State added three pitchers via the transfer portal – Division II product Nate Lamb, Karson Ligon from Miami and Khal Stephen from Purdue. The Bulldogs also get a pair of veterans who had Tommy John surgery in 2022.

Stone Simmons and Brooks Auger are expected to be in the mix. Both came out of the bullpen when they last played, with Simmons not allowing a run in three appearances and Auger recording a 3.05 ERA in 16 outings.

Parker said Auger has some aspirations of starting, but regardless of their roles, both have already proven crucial in a young room.

“These guys can help guys,” Parker said. “These guys have leadership traits. They’ve been through it. I’m excited to get those guys back.”

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In the latter parts of last season, Lemonis said an improved culture was pivotal in generating success. For Parker, doing so means being present. He says being transparent, being accessible and setting expectations is the key.

Along with that comes leadership from the roster. With a combination of those components, Parker believes it’ll make the long road to success more attainable.

“There’s a lot of ground to cover,” Parker said. “We’ll get there day by 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: Mississippi State baseball: Why Justin Parker joined Chris Lemonis