Bulldogs Begin Stretch Run Against Rebels In Oxford
May 25, 2016 | Baseball
MSU enters the weekend having won five of its last seven games. The Bulldogssplit a pair of midweek home games against instate non-conference rivalSouthern Miss (5-4, 1-6) at Dudy Noble Field. Mississippi has won five ofits last six games, including a two-game sweep of Memphis (13-4, 6-5) in themidweek.
Senior righthander Alan Johnson (2-4, 3.71 ERA) is due to open on the hillfor the Bulldogs Friday while the Rebels will counter with junior lefty MarkHolliman (4-1, 4.66 ERA).
State posted a 2-1 series win over Kentucky last weekend for its fourthconference series win in six weekends of league play. The Bulldogs enterWeekend No. 7 in third place in the tight SEC Western Division standings,1-1/2 games behind division-leading Alabama, a half-game behind LSU and ahalf-game ahead of Mississippi. With 12 games to play, three games separatethe six teams in the SEC West. MSU has claimed series wins over Arkansas,Auburn, Kentucky and Vanderbilt and dropped series at Tennessee and atGeorgia. The UT series was reduced to two seven-inning Sunday games becauseof unplayable field conditions Friday and Saturday at UT's Lindsey NelsonStadium.
MSU junior All-American outfielder Brad Corley has heated up at the plateover the last week. The Louisville, Ky., slugger has gone 17-for-39 (.436)in his last nine games . He hit .565 and raised his batting average 37points in five games last week, delivering the game winning hits in four ofMSU's five wins (two doubles, a triple and a single) during the span.Corley, who led the 2004 club with 19 home runs, has but two roundtrippersthis year. But he has collected hits in 33 of MSU's 40 games, leads the teamwith 19 extra-base hits (15 doubles), and has driven in a run in 17 games, aseason-high four in last week's series-opening 12-4 win over Kentucky.
In the oldest and most contested of State's baseball rivalries, the Bulldogsown a 227-177-5 overall lead in the rivalry on the diamond with the Rebels.In 2003 State registered a three-game series sweep in Oxford, where UM holdsan 88-87-3 series lead. Including a 5-1 win in the Mayor's Trophy Game inJackson, the Rebels have prevailed in four of the last five meetings, thoughState holds a 14-9 edge in games played this decade. State has won eight ofthe last 10 series and four of their last five in Oxford. Coach Ron Polkowns an 85-48 record in coaching matchups with Mississippi.
The Bulldogs take a break from midweek competition during exam weekfollowing the UM series before resuming league play against SEC WesternDivision-leading Alabama May 6-8. Due to graduation ceremonies at HumphreyColiseum, Saturday's MSU-Alabama has an atypical 6:30 p.m. start.
WEEKEND PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: MSU ?€? Sr. RHP Alan Johnson (2-4, 3.71 ERA) -- UM ?€? Jr. RHP MarkHolliman (4-1, 4.66 ERA)
Saturday: MSU ?€? Sr. RHP Todd Doolittle (4-4, 4.40 ERA) -- UM ?€? Jr. LHP MattMaloney (4-1, 2.11 ERA)
Sunday: MSU ?€? So. RHP Jon Crosby (5-1, 2.70 ERA) -- UM ?€? Jr. LHP Eric Fowler(2-2, 3.83 ERA)
