With the record behind Mangum, questions and attitudes have shifted toward baseball.

... After all, Mangum is the SEC’s all-time leader in hits, breaking the record with this blooper last year:

Following his postgame presser, an onslaught ensued.

No matter if he was frustrated from defeat or irritated at yet another reporter's query on the mark, Mangum handled it all with grace. "No matter how locked in you are on the game, no matter how locked in you are on the moment, it's tough to step in the box knowing that that's one hit away, two hits away, whatever it is," Mangum said. Mangum spoke of MSU first base coach Luke Alexander, a longtime friend and teammate. Seattle BLM protesters demand white people ‘give up' their homesTrump visits 'very ill' brother Robert in NYC hospitalJennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez buy $40M Miami homeBison rips pants off woman in violent attack caught on videoInside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new California estateJake Mangum is the face of Mississippi State baseball program

During Tuesday's media session, he crept behind sophomore Jordan Westburg mid-interview. It's about Mississippi State and team-oriented aspirations, and that's just the way Mangum wants it. With his sunglass flipped upside-down, Mangum made a face into the camera for a photo-bomb. "And I can continue trying to get better as a baseball player. Mangum is not one for the dramatics.

A part time starter early in the year, Mangum eventually hit his way into the everyday line-up. So while Mangum's name is now forever etched in SEC lore, the focus is back on the game itself.
"It's been a long ride that's flown by," Mangum said. He was drafted by the NY Mets in 2019. Before the year was over, Mangum claimed the SEC batting crown and Mississippi State won the regular season SEC title.The Jackson Prep product followed up his impressive debut season with a 9o hit campaign despite playing much of the second half of the year with a broken hand.

The 6-foot-1 switch-hitting center fielder, whose square jaw, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes scream Tim Tebow All-American, was bred by a family of athletes. Gives quality at-bats. Two days later, the Mets scooped him up with the 118th pick.Jake Mangum goes up and steals a potential grand slam in Starkville!Of course Mangum hasn’t had to rely on rituals all that much.

MSU fans posted in a box outfitted like a tiki hut showered Mangum in champagne. Mississippi State has eleven more regular season games on the current schedule plus at least a pair of games in the Southeastern Conference tournament and the NCAA college baseball regionals.That fact of the matter is that Mangum could drive the hits record up to a level once thought impossible.

Mangum reached that milestone in just 239. "Now it's in the rearview mirror," he said. He was drafted by the NY Mets in 2019. Jake Mangum is a graduate of MSU.

Moments earlier, the Pearl native had broken Eddy Furniss' all-time Southeastern Conference hits record in perhaps the most on-brand way he could -- a bloop single to shallow right field. "It's tough, but just happy it got over with and we could lock in and win a ballgame."

The Diamond Dawg legend elected to return for his senior season rather than sign a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets.

He then took a jog across the outfield toward the right-center gap. Relief had arrived.

There was an audible chuckle from those who could see him. He mentioned his family. Mississippi State All-American center fielder Furniss was a huge part of the LSU national championship runs in the mid 1990s. The rest of the 2019 season isn't about Jake Mangum and his records. STARKVILLE - What once looked unattainable is now in the rear view mirror. "I knew when we left Arkansas, we were fine." As a freshman, Mangum led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and finished 7th in the NCAA with a .408 batting average along with 84 hits, one home run, 40 runs scored and 28 RBIs. He is an SEC fan favorite where he broke the all-time SEC hit record. "It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman just trying to get into the lineup and it's crazy how quickly time goes by over these past four years." Jeffrey Rea, like Jake Mangum who broke his Mississippi State hits record, was a line drive waiting to happen.
Post was not sent - check your email addresses! © 2005-2020 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. "It's big," Mangum said of securing a series victory over then-No. Senior starters are a rare thing in college baseball, so the field chasing Mangum will thin as the years and professional baseball opportunities arrive.Mangum's march to SEC immortality began as a freshman in 2016.

His father, John Jr. (Bears, nine seasons), uncle, Kris (Panthers, 10 seasons) and grandfather, John (Boston Patriots, two seasons) played in the old AFL and NFL.After junior high, Mangum followed his heart to baseball full-time, ditching the gridiron where he played wide receiver and defensive back.

We will have full coverage of today's events once the game goes final. 6-ranked MSU is two games behind No. Photo by: Chris McDill/Special to the Dispatch Mississippi State’s Jake Mangum waves to the crowd after his record hit Saturday while first base is pulled out as a reward.