Does it matter if you finish 2nd or 3rd nationally?

[Leroy Jenkins]

If not, why not try and piece together a performance today that doesn't include Small.... unless it's absolutely necessary to avoid elimination.

[sleepy dawg]

If not, why not try and piece together a performance today that doesn't include Small.... unless it's absolutely necessary to avoid elimination.

We're going to have to get lucky somewhere either way. I think we need a confidence boost and I think Small will help deliver that.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Its tough for me because my prevailing opinion is, if you don't win it all who cares if you come in 2nd or 3rd.

[WSOPdawg]

I think a win tonight is still huge because you do get the chance to help sell your program by saying "...and for the 2nd time in 5 years, we were among the last two teams playing for the national championship in Omaha. We want you, Mr. High School Baseball All-American, to be part of MSU's next run in Omaha."

And one day, we'll be last team standing! But you gotta win tonight to see if it is this year.

[Dawg61]

We have to use Small to beat OSU. We've already swept Arkansas this year so we know we can win two games vs them without Small pitching.

[deadheaddawg]

The loses reset for the final series. So I look at it as two different tournaments.

Win tonight and we advance to the next round.

So at minimum we get an extra loss, which means extra exposure. Which means more people talking and tweeting about us.

That's always a good thing. How much of a good thing is up for debate, but absolutely a good thing

[Goldendawg]

My opinion: No one remembers who finished 2nd or 3rd but the teams and fans of those involved. I do think it can help in recruiting, as you tell that person they are the one that can help us move over that hump to #1. Use everyone need to win today and get us to the finals, then regroup. JMO. Hail State!

[ChillOutDog]

We've already swept Arkansas this year so we know we can win two games vs them without Small pitching.

That’s not really how baseball works, but Small today is the only logical call agreed.

[starkvegasdawg]

If not, why not try and piece together a performance today that doesn't include Small.... unless it's absolutely necessary to avoid elimination.

Because you have to win tonight to have a chance to come in first.

[RocketDawg]

Because you have to win tonight to have a chance to come in first.

Yeah, exactly. And if we don't win tonight, I suppose we're tied for 3rd with Florida. There is no 4th.

[chef dixon]

Pilkington fresh for a game 1 is actually a pretty decent start all things considered

[afranzo]

Always the possibility of a rainout too in the championship... might get Small in the end if tonight plays out the right way... play to win tonight at all costs and you figure out it out from there...

[Lord McBuckethead]

Also, we should have pitched Small yesterday, but since our hitters took yesterday off, glad we didn't waste Small for what would have been a 4-2 loss. Let's get it all rolling for three more games. Let's do this. Got to look line drives in play. Forget the bomb.

[Dawg2003]

I don?t guess it matters too much, but it?s better to go out swinging than on the tragedy that occurred last night. If they go down tonight, at least they went down throwing all they had at it. 12-2 is a bad note to end the season on. I mean, all the teams except one are gonna go out on a loss, but I guess I?d rather go out with a fighting chance than what occurred last night.