Mississippi State pitcher Ryan McPherson cleared for Super Regional return after six-week injury layoff
Ryan McPherson completes gradual rehabilitation from forearm strain, positioning Mississippi State for NCAA Super Regional matchup against Georgia.
Mississippi State baseball pitcher Ryan McPherson has confirmed he is fully recovered from a forearm strain that sidelined him for six weeks, clearing him to start for the Bulldogs in the upcoming NCAA Super Regional against No. 3 Georgia. The series is scheduled to begin on June 6 in Athens, Georgia, with McPherson expected to return to the rotation after a gradual rehabilitation process throughout May.
McPherson first experienced discomfort during a start against Vanderbilt on March 20, reporting elbow pain that intensified as the game progressed. He exited after throwing only one warm-up pitch in the fifth inning, a decision that ultimately revealed a forearm strain requiring a six-week absence. The injury disrupted Mississippi State’s pitching depth during the SEC schedule, though the Bulldogs managed to host an NCAA Tournament regional in Starkville for the first time since their 2021 national championship run.
The pitcher’s return to the mound was phased over three appearances in May. He began with 1⅓ innings against Auburn on May 9, allowing two runs on 34 pitches. His workload increased to 2⅓ innings against Texas A&M on May 16, where he surrendered one run on 44 pitches. The buildup culminated in the Starkville Regional final on May 31, where McPherson pitched five innings against Louisiana, allowing two runs on 83 pitches in a 19-5 victory.
Speaking on his recovery, McPherson stated he feels healthy and confident, describing himself as back to his pre-injury form. He noted that the rust has worn off and expressed excitement about contributing to the team’s Super Regional campaign. Mississippi State head coach Brian O’Connor praised McPherson’s performance in the regional final, indicating expectations for him to compete effectively when he takes the mound this weekend.
Mississippi State enters the Super Regional with a 43-17 record, while Georgia holds a 49-12 record. The Bulldogs face a challenging matchup, as Georgia has won all four previous meetings against Mississippi State this season. Georgia’s starting pitcher for Game 1 is Joey Volchko, who has already faced Mississippi State twice. While MSU beat reporter Sam Sklar of The Clarion Ledger reported on McPherson’s status, O’Connor has not yet confirmed the full starting rotation for the best-of-three series, with Tomas Valincius scheduled to start Game 1.
