Rivals to face off in all-Mississippi final

HOOVER, Ala. - Jeff Butts' RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Mississippi State to a 3-2 win over Tennessee on Saturday and into the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game.

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The Bulldogs (39-20) needed stellar pitching by starter Jon Crosby and some final-inning heroics to avoid a second game with the Volunteers (41-19).

Mississippi State coach Ron Polk said his team has had plenty of doubters this season.

Now, he's hoping the Bulldogs' SEC Tournament run will help them land an NCAA regional host site.

"I thought we could compete with anybody, and it's shown so far," Polk said.

It was a pitching duel until the ninth, with Mississippi State clinging to a 1-0 lead.

Crosby allowed 10 hits in 7w shutout innings, getting the Vols to hit into a pair of double plays.

In the day's second two games, Tommy Baumgardner pitched six strong innings, and Stephen Head homered as Mississippi set up a showdown of arch rivals for the title with the second of two wins over Florida.

"It's a special day and a neat day for baseball in Mississippi," Rebels coach Mike Bianco said. "To have two programs play for the championship in the toughest conference in the nation says a lot."

Unlike Mississippi State, which has five tournament titles, Ole Miss (44-17) has only one - and that came in the first SEC Tournament in 1977.

The Rebels haven't played for the title since, but emerged from the loser's bracket this time with terrific pitching.

They swept the regular-season series with their in-state rivals, who are unbeaten in the tournament.

Head homered over the right-field fence in the third inning off Florida starter Tommy Boss and had an RBI single in the first - all the offense Baumgardner and reliever Stoney Stone needed.

"That kid's so strong, it looked like he hit it one-handed to me," Boss said. "I threw a changeup up in the zone and he tattooed it."

The Gators (40-19) left men on base in each of the first six innings against Baumgardner, making his second start of the season.

The Matchup: No. 7 Mississippi State (39-20) vs. No. 4 Mississippi (44-17)

When: 4 p.m., Fox Sports Net

Where: Hoover (Ala.) Metropolitan Stadium

The series: Ole Miss swept the regular season series with their state and confeernce rivals, taking four games from the Bulldogs to win the West Division title.