College Baseball’s Biggest Rivalries Return to Trustmark Park
Two premier Mississippi college baseball matchups coming to Pearl

PEARL, Miss. (March 13, 2026) — Some baseball games are just games. These are not.

Two of the state’s most anticipated college matchups are returning to Trustmark Park this spring as the College Showdown and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Governor’s Cup bring Mississippi’s fiercest rivalries back to Pearl. With passionate fanbases, statewide bragging rights on the line, and some of the nation’s top programs taking the field, these annual showdowns have become a staple of Mississippi’s baseball calendar.

The action begins Tuesday, April 14, when Ole Miss faces #7 Southern Miss in the College Showdown. Two weeks later, the rivalry that has defined Mississippi baseball for generations returns when #3 Mississippi State meets Ole Miss in the Mississippi Farm Bureau Governor’s Cup on Tuesday, April 28.

For Ole Miss and Mississippi State, the Governor’s Cup continues a tradition that dates back to 1980, when the two programs began meeting annually at a neutral site. Since moving to Trustmark Park in 2007, the event has grown into one of the largest single-day sporting events in the state, with thousands of fans packing the ballpark for a game that carries the intensity of a postseason showdown.

Both events showcase the deep passion for college baseball across Mississippi, bringing together fans from across the state for two nights where the energy in the stands often rivals the action on the field.

Tickets for both events go on sale today at 5:00 PM and will be available exclusively online.

Game Schedule & Details

College Showdown
Ole Miss vs. #7 Southern Miss

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
First Pitch: 6:00 PM
Gates Open: 5:00 PM

Home Team: Ole Miss (occupying the 3rd base dugout)

Tickets:
https://www.tixr.com/groups/mudmonstersbaseball/events/ole-miss-vs-southern-miss-181215

Ticket Prices

BCI Club: $60
Club VIP (First four rows of Sections 104–117): $60
Diamond (Reserved seating sections): $45
General Admission & Berm: $25

Mississippi Farm Bureau Governor’s Cup
#3 Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
First Pitch: 6:00 PM
Gates Open: 5:00 PM

Home Team: Mississippi State (occupying the 3rd base dugout)

Tickets:
https://www.tixr.com/groups/mudmonstersbaseball/events/mississippi-state-vs-ole-miss-181244

Ticket Prices

BCI Club: $80
Club VIP (First four rows of Sections 104–117): $80
Diamond (Reserved seating sections): $70
General Admission: $50
Grass Berm: $30

All tickets for both events are digital and available exclusively online.

Fans interested in premium hospitality spaces and party areas should contact Spectrum Events. To reserve a premium space, contact Jordan King at 601-955-3266.

These matchups have become annual highlights for baseball fans across Mississippi, bringing together rival programs, passionate fanbases, and the electric atmosphere that only college baseball in this state can create.

About the Mississippi Mud Monsters
Baseball Lives Here. It Just Got a Little Weirder.

The Mississippi Mud Monsters are a professional baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, competing in the Frontier League. Built in the mud and rooted in Mississippi, the Mud Monsters believe baseball should be unapologetically fun, a little weird, wildly welcoming, and deeply tied to the place it calls home. Real baseball. Real people. This is swamp-built, Mississippi-made baseball, where the vibes matter just as much as the final score.