Mississippi State baseball title run documentary airing on SEC Network

STARKVILLE – The SEC Community is giving Mississippi State baseball followers a option to cope after a dropping season. 

The community is airing an hour-long documentary at 6 p.m. on June 14 highlighting the 2021 nationwide championship run.

The movie, titled “Banner Yr: The Story of Mississippi State’s First Nationwide Title,” options interviews with among the most recognizable faces in class historical past whereas delving into the moments that made the title particular.

It began forward of Sport 3 between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in final season’s championship collection. Function producer Damien Esparza despatched a crew to Starkville understanding if State pulled out the win, he’d need footage of the response 800 miles from Omaha, Nebraska.

“I did need to see Mississippi State pull it out simply because it was such a singular story to have the ability to inform,” Esparza mentioned.  

From there, a fruits of months to painting MSU’s victory started. Esparza and his employees interviewed Mississippi State notables – starting from baseball legends akin to Ron Polk, Tanner Allen and Will Bednar to the likes of quarterback Dak Prescott and girls’s basketball guard Victoria Vivians.

The objective to Esparza was easy, and he hopes Mississippi State followers stroll away from the documentary with it in thoughts. He needed to painting the agony so many Bulldogs followers have felt earlier than reaching pure pleasure.

From Arike Ogunbowale’s buzzer-beater to beat MSU girls’s basketball within the 2018 nationwide championship sport to the 11 empty Faculty World Sequence appearances, Esparza felt Mississippi State was too good to haven’t any titles.

“It appeared for years like they have been snake-bitten,” Esparza mentioned.

When the skid ended, he knew the exuberance could be not like most different circumstances. It being a baseball title added to the joys.

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The SECN crew was at Mississippi State’s championship celebration July 2 the place they noticed followers line the streets of Starkville and push Dudy Noble Subject past its capability.

“That put into perspective what baseball meant to the town of Starkville,” Esparza mentioned. “From there, all people that I reached out to wanting to speak to for this documentary was so proud and so keen to speak about it due to what the sport of baseball means to that metropolis.”

It’s a jubilation, one which has spanned a 12 months, Esparza knew would come from a fan base in a convention the place he believes it does imply extra. Earlier than a brand new champion is topped, Esparza hopes to assist Mississippi State followers relive that thrill as soon as extra.

“Baseball is the satisfaction of that metropolis,” Esparza mentioned. “I’m so blissful the followers lastly obtained to see a nationwide championship.”

Here is a full record of documentary interviewees

Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State baseball coach

Tanner Allen, former Mississippi State outfielder

Will Bednar, former Mississippi State pitcher

Rowdey Jordan, former Mississippi State outfielder

Kamren James, Mississippi State third baseman

Landon Sims, Mississippi State pitcher

Logan Tanner, Mississippi State catcher

Luke Hancock, Mississippi State first baseman

Preston Johnson, Mississippi State pitcher

Tanner Leggett, Mississippi State shortstop

Ron Polk, former Mississippi State baseball coach

John Cohen, Mississippi State athletic director and former baseball coach

Jim Ellis, Mississippi State baseball broadcaster

Dak Prescott, former Mississippi State quarterback

Victoria Vivians, former Mississippi State girls’s basketball guard

Everett Kennard, Mississippi State bus driver

David Murray, GenesPage.com

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