Diamond Dawg Gameday: Little Rock/Samford

STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State baseball program will play a pair of midweek games to start week six of the college baseball season, hosting Little Rock on Tuesday, March 19 at Dudy Noble Field (6:30 p.m.) and traveling to Samford on Wednesday, March 20 (6 p.m.).

The Diamond Dawgs have moved up to No. 2 nationally in four of the major polls, earning the No. 2 spot from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball and Perfect Game. It is the highest ranking for the program since rising to No. 1 during the 2016 season.

Gameday Info
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: Eric Cerantola, RHP, Fr.
UALR: McKinley Moore, RHP, Jr.

Live Video: https://hailst.at/2ub5AFo
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2uet1NV

Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: TBA
SU: TBA

Live Video ($): https://hailst.at/2ueP6fq
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2ufGYvb

**Wednesday's game will be carried on ESPN+, which is a subscription-based service.**

Along with the audio stream, both midweek games will be carried on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network and WKBB 100.9 in Starkville.

Quick Hitters

State has pushed its name into the top five of all five major polls released on Monday, including a No. 2 ranking in four of those, marking the highest ranking for the program since 2016.
MORE ON PAGE 3 & 6
Senior Elijah MacNamee picked up MSU's first SEC Player of the Week honor since 2017 when he had a monster week at No. 4 Florida.
MORE ON PAGE 6
MSU is off to its best start since the 2013 season at 18-2. The 2013 squad won 17-straight to begin that season. MORE ON PAGE 6
Senior Jake Mangum became the 24th SEC baseball student-athlete to reach the 300-hit mark and continues to chase the Mississippi State and SEC all-time hit records. MORE ON PAGE 8
Sophomore Justin Foscue hit his sixth home run of the season on March 15 at No. 4 Florida to continue his power surge to start the 2019 slate. MORE ON PAGE 6 & 12
Redshirt-junior Ethan Small ranks No. 2 nationally in strikeouts (51) in the latest NCAA statistical rankings. MORE ON PAGE 6 & 17
The Diamond Dawgs ran their winning streak to 14-games, which is tied for the fourth-longest streak in program history.
MORE ON PAGE 6 & 12
Head coach Chris Lemonis won his first four games as Mississippi State skipper. Lemonis is one of nine MSU head coaches to win his first career game and one of three to start 4-0 or better.
BIO ON PAGE 3, MORE ON PAGE 7

Series Notes
Little Rock

Mississippi State and Little Rock have met eight previous times before this week's contest, with State owning a 7-1 edge.
The first meeting came in 1999, as MSU swept a three-game series from UALR by a combined score of 57-8 at Dudy Noble Field.
The only blemish on Mississippi State's all-time ledger with Little Rock is a 9-5 setback in the first game of a two-game series during the 2008 campaign.

Samford

Mississippi State and Samford have 45 times entering this weekend's meeting, with State owning a 35-10 edge all time.
The first meeting came in 1909 when MSU swept three-straight games from the Samford in Starkville.
The last time MSU traveled to Samford was 2002, when State won a 13-7 decision.
These two teams met in an elimination game at the Tallahassee Regional last season, a game won by Mississippi State, 9-8, on June 3.

Promotions
The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a FREE Dudy Noble Field Inaugural Season lapel pin.

All midweek games again in 2019 will feature $2 tickets, as well as concession stands serving the $2 menu all season long at the New Dude.

The Drew Wilson 'Lil Dudes Zone located beyond the right field wall will be available when gates open, weather dependent.

For all regular season home games at Dudy Noble, MSU students will be admitted into the games for free with their student ID and Bully's Kids Club members will also receive free admission.

Fans can upgrade their game day experience with multiple options throughout the year from HailState.com/memories.

Dudy Noble Field Policies
Gates open two hours before first pitch on game day and the stadium gates will close one hour after the conclusion of each game. The right field terrace is a public, grill-free, first come first served area. Should fans wish to purchase ice at Dudy Noble, they will be able to do so behind the center field wall in the Left Field Lounge.

Approved coolers cannot exceed the maximum size of 10" by 10" by 10" after gates open, with coolers exceeding the restriction size prohibited. Other prohibited items include alcoholic beverages, smoking (in all areas), weapons, fireworks, electric power generators, pets, non-approved banners and signs, bicycles, any illegal substances, carts, wagons, wheeled supply carriers, personal tailgate tents (on concourse or lawn areas) and lawn chairs on sidewalks or concourse areas.

All bags are subject to search and security screening, along with items prohibited from being stored along stadium fencing and gates. MSU encourages fans to leave all unnecessary and prohibited items at home or in their vehicles to expedite security and screening procedures.

Tickets
Tickets for all of MSU's home games can be purchased through HailState.com/tickets.

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.".

Diamond Dawg Gameday: Little Rock/Samford

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Eric Cerantola

Justin Foscue

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawg Gameday: Little Rock/Samford

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Eric Cerantola

Justin Foscue

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

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