TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — JP France held Oklahoma to two hits over seven innings, and Mississippi State advanced to a NCAA Tournament Super Regional for the third straight year as it defeated the Sooners 8-1 on Monday in the deciding game of the Tallahassee Regional.

It is the second straight season the Bulldogs (35-26) have dropped their first game in a regional and then won the next four games to advance.

They will face Vanderbilt, which won the Clemson Regional, in a best-of-three Super Regional.

“This team just showed a lot of heart the entire season,” MSU assistant coach Jake Gautreau said.

“It doesn’t matter the obstacles,” Gautreau continued. “They show up each day ready to work. It has been an incredible season. They just worked hard and felt like this could be a special season.”

France (5-5) allowed one run along with having two walks and five strikeouts. The senior right-hander didn’t allow the Sooners to get a hit until the fourth when Brady Lindsly singled.

“In this game, JP France was outstanding,” Gautreau added.“Offensively, we did enough. The four runs there in the ninth inning were huge.”

Justin Foscue, who was one of three Mississippi State players with two hits, had a two-run double in the fifth to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.  They broke it open with a four-run ninth, which included a two-run shot by Jake Mangum.

Mangum’s home run was just the fifth he’s hit in his college career.

He’s a very good lead off guy, he’s at his best when it matters,” head coach Gary Henderson said.

Riley Self pitched the final two innings for his first save.

Lindsly accounted for the Sooners’ (38-25) run in the second. He reached first on an errant third strike and scored on a grounder by Justin Mitchell for the second out.

Oklahoma starter Levi Prater (3-4) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits.

Henderson said the Bulldog bats were hot the whole weekend, but his pitching staff was what really impressed him.

“The thing that strikes me most is how well we pitched, in comparison to where we were in  the first Oklahoma game,” Henderson said. “Obviously some tremendous offensive and defensive performances but what sticks with me the most is the response of our kids on the mound after that embarrassment on Friday and the way that we competed. Couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Bulldogs had five players named to the All-tournament team, with Dustin Skelton earning the award for his play at catcher, J.P. France getting it for his performance on the mound, and all three of the Bulldogs outfielders, Mangum, Rowdey Jordan and Elijah MacNamee being named to the team as well.

Mangum, Jordan and Skelton all hit better than .475 at the regional, with Skelton going 8-14 at the plate.

It was MacNamee who took home the Tallahassee Regional Most Outstanding Player award, as his walk-off home run against Florida State will not be easily forgotten.

“When things aren’t going your way, that doesn’t mean it’s over with, and this team hasn’t quit all year,” MacNamee said.”When the dogs get hot, the dogs gets rolling.”

Henderson was thrilled to see his team advance to the Super Regional.

“To say that we’re doing what we’re doing and getting to play next weekend based on where we were February 21 is amazing,” Henderson said. “Couldn’t be more proud of our team, our kids, our program, our fans.”