No. 4 Bulldogs Head To Auburn For Final SEC Road Series Of 2016
May 12, 2016 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – One last time for the 2016 regular season, the fourth-ranked Mississippi State baseball Bulldogs (34-14-1, 15-9 SEC) will hit the road for a three-game SEC series tilt, this time taking on the Auburn Tigers (22-27, 8-16 SEC).
The Friday-Saturday-Sunday series between the Bulldogs and the Tigers will begin with a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on Friday, May 13 on the SEC Network +. Saturday's contest will be nationally broadcasted on the SEC Network, with first pitch set for 3:30 p.m. Sunday's series finale will begin at 1 p.m., on the SEC Network +.
MSU spent last weekend within the friendly confines of Dudy Noble Field, earning its first SEC series sweep of the year against the Missouri Tigers. MSU rolled in game one, 8-2, before earning a pair of tightly-contested games (4-3 and 3-1) to finish out the weekend.
State is looking to finish its 2016 SEC road slate with its fifth road series win, a feat accomplished only one other time in school history. The 1997 Diamond Dawgs went a perfect 5-0 in its conference road series, defeating Kentucky, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Arkansas on the road.
So far this season, MSU has captured road series against No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 1 Florida, No. 7 LSU and Alabama.
Overall, the Bulldogs have won seven of their eight series this year, the first MSU program to do so since that 1997 squad that reached the College World Series.
Sitting at 15-9 in the conference, the Bulldogs are one game behind Texas A&M for first place in the SEC Western division standings and two games out of first place in the league overall.
The Tigers enter the weekend after dropping their series at Alabama last weekend, dropping the first two contests (6-2 and 4-3 [11]), but winning a Sunday showdown against the Tide, 8-1.
The Bulldogs own a 102-88-1 advantage in the series with Auburn, but the Tigers have a 50-36 edge in Auburn. Last year, the Tigers took two of three from the Maroon and White in Starkville. However, the last meeting in Auburn between the two squads ended in a Bulldog sweep in 2014.
For more information on head coach John Cohen's ballclub, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”
Need To Know
- In the latest rankings released Monday, MSU was voted 4th in the Coaches Poll, 3rd by Baseball America, 7th by Collegiate Baseball, 3rd by Perfect Game, 3rd by the NCBWA and 3rd by D1 Baseball.
- This weekend's matchup marks the first time the Bulldogs will face the Auburn Tigers in the Butch Thompson era. Thompson previously spent the last seven seasons as the Bulldogs' associate head coach and pitching coach.
- The Maroon and White have started the season winning seven of its first eight SEC series, the first time that feat has been accomplished since 1997.
- MSU's 34 overall victories this season has already eclipsed its 2015 total of 24, while its 15 SEC victories are the most since collecting 18 in 2014.
- John Cohen's ballclub has 130 two-out RBIs in its first 49 games after having 98 total in 2015.
- MSU is hitting .306 with two outs (175 for 572) after hitting .243 last season (142 for 584).
- State has 149 extra-base hits (102 doubles, 13 triples, 34 home runs) through 49 games after having just 117 in all 54 contests in 2015 (87 doubles, 8 triples, 22 home runs).
- The Bulldogs' pitching staff is 12th in the NCAA with 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings, which also ranks fifth amongst SEC teams.
- Holding a lead after six innings has been a key sign of a Bulldog victory this year, as State is 30-1 when leading after six, 28-2 when ahead after seven and 30-0 when on top through eight.
- State has outscored its opponents 89-26 in the first two innings so far this season.
- Junior 1B Nathaniel Lowe was named SEC Player of the Week after going 9-for-13 against Mizzou, the league announced Monday.
- Freshman Jake Mangum currently leads the Bulldogs, stands second in the SEC, is 11th nationally and leads the nation's freshmen with a .413 batting average.
Starting Rotation
Thursday: MSU's Jr. RHP Dakota Hudson (7-3, 2.80 ERA) vs. AU's Jr. RHP Cole Lipscomb (2-3, 5.02 ERA)
Friday: MSU's Jr. RHP Austin Sexton (5-2, 3.66 ERA) vs. AU's Sr. RHP Justin Camp (3-3, 3.58 ERA)
Saturday: MSU's TBA vs. AU's TBA
Weather
Friday's Forecast (May 13) – High 84, Low 56 – Partly Cloudy (10%)
Saturday's Forecast (May 14) – High 85, Low 57 – Sunny (0%)
Sunday's Forecast (May 15) – High 82, Low 58 – Mostly Sunny (0%)
Live Video and Television
Both Friday's and Sunday's games will be available on the SEC Network + as Andy Burcham and Scott Sullivan will have the call. Fans can access through ESPN3.com or the WatchESPN app.
Saturday's game will be nationally broadcasted on the SEC Network, with Mike Morgan and Gabe Gross on the call.
All three games will be available to view online through ESPN3.com, the WatchESPN app or by clicking the links below.
Live Audio and Radio
All three games will be broadcast live on the MSU Baseball Radio Network (WKBB 100.9 FM in Starkville). The contest will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
Tickets are still available and can be purchased at aubtix.com and at the Auburn ticket office, located at the front entrance of Plainsman Park, which opens 90 minutes prior to first pitch every game.
