PEARL — The second half of the Southeastern Conference schedule begins tonight for Mississippi State.

Mississippi State (21-16, 5-10 SEC) comes into its Super Bulldog Weekend series with Tennessee (21-15, 7-8 SEC) on a down note after losing 6-3 to rival Ole Miss in the annual Governor’s Cup game at Trustmark Park on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs struck out 16 times against four Rebel pitchers and were held without a run over the final five innings.

Yet Mississippi State coach John Cohen felt a pair of defensive mistakes played an equal part in the loss and he’d like his team to cut down on its errors. Ole Miss (25-12, 7-8) put together a four-run rally to take a 5-1 by taking advantage of critical mistakes.

“The two plays we didn’t make there in the fourth inning destroyed us,” Cohen said. “The slow roller to third and our guy (Daryl Morris) can’t move. Then we have a first and third. They steal, we go to third base and again, our guy can’t move.”