Friday, February 16
Hattiesburg, Miss.
4:00 PM
Mississippi State
at
#25 Southern Miss
State opens the season away from home for the first time since 2009.
No. 12 Diamond Dawgs To Open 128th Season At No. 21 Southern Miss
February 15, 2018 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – On Friday, Mississippi State will begin its 128th baseball season in an unfamiliar fashion, on the road. No. 12 State will take on No. 21 Southern Miss in a three-game series at Pete Taylor Park, marking the first time that the Diamond Dawgs have started the season away from home since 2009.
The 12-game stretch away from Dudy Noble Field to open the season is the longest to open a season since 1967 (10 games) and the longest span without a home game since 1982 (14 games).
The Diamond Dawgs are 80-45-2 in season openers and looking to snap a two-game losing streak on Opening Day. For the second-straight year, MSU will open the season against a ranked opponent (hosted No. 14 Texas Tech in 2017).
State is coming off a 40-27 year in 2017 that included a NCAA Regional Championship in year one of the Andy Cannizaro Era. Heading into the second season with Cannizaro at the helm, expectations are high for MSU as the Diamond Dawgs have received preseason rankings in all six major preseason top 25 polls. MSU is ranked No. 12 by D1 Baseball, No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 15 by USA Today, No. 17 by NCBWA, No. 23 by Baseball America and No. 25 by Perfect Game.
State holds an 82-29 advantage in the all-time series against Southern Miss and is 29-23 against the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg. The Diamond Dawgs have also won 9 of the last 11 meetings with USM, including three-straight in Hattiesburg. MSU went 2-1 against USM in 2017, highlighted by a two-game sweep in the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional that saw State battle back from the loser's bracket to win the regional.
The action will begin on Friday with a 4 p.m. CT start for Opening Day and will be followed with 1 p.m. first pitch times for the second and third games of the series on Saturday and Sunday.
VIDEO: On Wednesday, head coach Andy Cannizaro and Preseason All-American Konnor Pilkington previewed State's season-opening series.
Game Notes | Live Stats
NEED TO KNOW
PRESEASON HONORS
Jake Mangum – OF
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- First Team Preseason All-SEC (Coaches)
- USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Konnor Pilkington – SP
- Second Team Preseason All-American (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball)
- USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Spencer Price – RP
- Third Team Preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
Riley Self – RP
- NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – MSU Jr. LHP Konnor Pilkington (8-5, 3.08 ERA) vs. USM Jr. RHP Nick Sandlin (10-2, 2.38 ERA)
Saturday – MSU RSo. LHP Ethan Small (DNP in 2017) vs. USM Jr. LHP Stevie Powers (3-0, 5.13 ERA)
Sunday – MSU RSr. RHP Jacob Billingsley (2-3, 4.78) vs. USM Jr. RHP J.C. Keys (3-3, 5.56 ERA)
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Friday Forecast: High 74, Low 53 – Cloudy – 20% Chance of Rain
Saturday Forecast: High 65, Low 55 – Cloudy – 10% Chance of Rain
Sunday Forecast: High 75, Low 62 – AM Showers – 30% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
All three games this weekend will air live exclusively through ConferenceUSA.com/watch, but a paid subscription is required for viewing.
LIVE STATS
All season long, fans can follow the action with pitch-by-pitch updates through live stats. Visit the Diamond Dawgs' schedule page and click on the "Live Stats" link associated with the appropriate game.
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
All of this weekend's games will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network and WKBB 100.9 in Starkville. With Jim Ellis on the call, all three games will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus and on TuneIn Radio.
TICKETS
Tickets for this weekend's series are sold out, but some still remain available for purchase on the secondary market.
FOLLOW THE DIAMOND DAWGS
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, 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."
The 12-game stretch away from Dudy Noble Field to open the season is the longest to open a season since 1967 (10 games) and the longest span without a home game since 1982 (14 games).
The Diamond Dawgs are 80-45-2 in season openers and looking to snap a two-game losing streak on Opening Day. For the second-straight year, MSU will open the season against a ranked opponent (hosted No. 14 Texas Tech in 2017).
State is coming off a 40-27 year in 2017 that included a NCAA Regional Championship in year one of the Andy Cannizaro Era. Heading into the second season with Cannizaro at the helm, expectations are high for MSU as the Diamond Dawgs have received preseason rankings in all six major preseason top 25 polls. MSU is ranked No. 12 by D1 Baseball, No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 15 by USA Today, No. 17 by NCBWA, No. 23 by Baseball America and No. 25 by Perfect Game.
State holds an 82-29 advantage in the all-time series against Southern Miss and is 29-23 against the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg. The Diamond Dawgs have also won 9 of the last 11 meetings with USM, including three-straight in Hattiesburg. MSU went 2-1 against USM in 2017, highlighted by a two-game sweep in the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional that saw State battle back from the loser's bracket to win the regional.
The action will begin on Friday with a 4 p.m. CT start for Opening Day and will be followed with 1 p.m. first pitch times for the second and third games of the series on Saturday and Sunday.
VIDEO: On Wednesday, head coach Andy Cannizaro and Preseason All-American Konnor Pilkington previewed State's season-opening series.
Game Notes | Live Stats
NEED TO KNOW
- A total of 14 Diamond Dawgs (10 returning and 4 newcomers) spent their offseason playing summer ball, four of which were named All Stars in their respective leagues (Elijah MacNamee, Jake Mangum, Hunter Vansau, Dustin Skelton).
- After one year of the Andy Cannizaro Era, it is evident that the future is bright in Starkville as Cannizaro became just the second MSU coach to achieve 30 or more victories in his very first season at the helm and make the NCAA Tournament. (Pat McMahon won 42 in 1998 & reached the CWS).
- The offensive impact from Cannizaro and his staff is evident as State hit 59 home runs in 2017, compared to 47 in 2016 (26% increase) and stole 75 bases in 2017, compared to 51 in 2016 (32% increase). Defensively, MSU committed 12 fewer errors in 2017 and posted a .980 fielding percentage (was .975 in 2016).
- Cannizaro's club will have a new look in 2018 with 14 newcomers (8 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 2 juniors and 2 graduate transfers).
- With SEC Triple Crown Winner Brent Rooker having been selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, State will have to look elsewhere for offensive production in 2018 and the possibilities are there as MSU returns 50% of its hits, 36% of its extra-base hits and 39% of its RBIs from 2017.
- After preseason injuries have ruled Graham Ashcraft and Preseason All-American Spencer Price out for the entirety of the 2018 season, on the mound MSU is returning 55% of its wins, 59% of its innings pitched and 38% of its saves.
PRESEASON HONORS
Jake Mangum – OF
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- First Team Preseason All-SEC (Coaches)
- USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Konnor Pilkington – SP
- Second Team Preseason All-American (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball)
- USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Spencer Price – RP
- Third Team Preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
Riley Self – RP
- NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – MSU Jr. LHP Konnor Pilkington (8-5, 3.08 ERA) vs. USM Jr. RHP Nick Sandlin (10-2, 2.38 ERA)
Saturday – MSU RSo. LHP Ethan Small (DNP in 2017) vs. USM Jr. LHP Stevie Powers (3-0, 5.13 ERA)
Sunday – MSU RSr. RHP Jacob Billingsley (2-3, 4.78) vs. USM Jr. RHP J.C. Keys (3-3, 5.56 ERA)
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Friday Forecast: High 74, Low 53 – Cloudy – 20% Chance of Rain
Saturday Forecast: High 65, Low 55 – Cloudy – 10% Chance of Rain
Sunday Forecast: High 75, Low 62 – AM Showers – 30% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
All three games this weekend will air live exclusively through ConferenceUSA.com/watch, but a paid subscription is required for viewing.
LIVE STATS
All season long, fans can follow the action with pitch-by-pitch updates through live stats. Visit the Diamond Dawgs' schedule page and click on the "Live Stats" link associated with the appropriate game.
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
All of this weekend's games will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network and WKBB 100.9 in Starkville. With Jim Ellis on the call, all three games will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus and on TuneIn Radio.
TICKETS
Tickets for this weekend's series are sold out, but some still remain available for purchase on the secondary market.
FOLLOW THE DIAMOND DAWGS
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, 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."
Players Mentioned
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