STARKVILLE — For the first time in a generation, Mississippi State is the top dog in the Southeastern Conference.

Jacob Robson had three hits and scored three runs, reliever Ryan Rigby pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, and the Bulldogs beat Arkansas 9-4 on Saturday to clinch the SEC regular-season championship.

It’s the first time since 1989 that Mississippi State (40-14-1, 21-9 SEC) has won the SEC’s regular-season championship. It also earned the No. 1 seed in this week’s conference tournament in Hoover, Ala.

The Bulldogs will face either Alabama or Kentucky in the second round on Wednesday. The top four teams in the conference — Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Florida and East Division champion South Carolina — received first-round byes.

“We talked all year about having a chip on your shoulders,” Mississippi State coach John Cohen said. “We challenged our kids to go out and get better during the summer. We had some new pieces who came in and made contributions. This has been a great evening for Mississippi State baseball.”

Cohen became the second head coach in SEC history to win a conference championship at multiple programs, joining former MSU coach Ron Polk. Cohen captured a co-SEC championship with Kentucky in 2006. Polk captured SEC titles at Mississippi State, as well as Georgia.

“Mississippi State has always been a special place to me. To play for a conference championship team when I was in school and then to come back to win one as a coach is special,” said Cohen, who played at Mississippi State. “We still have a lot of business to take care of this year. However, this is a remarkable accomplishment.”

Mississippi State erased an early 2-0 deficit Saturday with single runs in the second and third innings. It took the lead for good by scoring four times in the fifth inning.

Gavin Collins’ RBI double put the Bulldogs in front. Three more runs scored on an error by the center fielder to make it 6-2.

The Bulldogs tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning on RBI singles by John Holland and Jack Kruger.

That was plenty of cushion for the Bulldogs’ bullpen. Rigby took over after starter Konnor Pilkington gave up two runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings and shut the door on the Razorbacks (26-29, 7-23).

Rigby gave up two hits and no walks or runs, and struck out six in his 4 2/3 innings.

Daniel Brown finished up with two-thirds of an inning of relief, and Blake Smith pitched the last 1 1/3.

Michael Bernal went 3-for-3 with an RBI for Arkansas, which did not qualify for the SEC Tournament. Clark Eagan hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Razorbacks their early lead.

SEC Tournament

At Hoover, Ala.

All games except the championship televised on the SEC Network. The championship game will be televised by ESPN2

First round – Single elimination

Tuesday, May 24

Game 1 – Missouri vs. Vanderbilt, 9:30 a.m.

Game 2 – Georgia vs. Ole Miss, 1 p.m.

Game 3 – Alabama vs. Kentucky, 4:30 p.m.

Game 4 – Tennessee vs. LSU, 8 p.m.

Second round – Double elimination

Wednesday, May 25

Game 5 – Texas A&M vs. Missouri-Vanderbilt winner, 9:30 a.m.

Game 6 – S. Carolina vs. Georgia-Ole Miss winner, 1 p.m.

Game 7 – Mississippi St. vs. Alabama-Kentucky winner, 4:30 p.m.

Game 8 – Florida vs. Tennessee-LSU winner, 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 26

Game 9 – Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 9:30 a.m.

Game 10 – Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser, 1 p.m.

Game 11 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 4:30 p.m.

Game 12 – Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 8 p.m.

Friday, May 27

Game 13 – Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 14 – Game 10 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 28

Game 15 – Game 13 winner vs. Game 11 winner, Noon

Game 16 – G14 winner vs. G12 winner, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 29

Championship game, 2 p.m.