Diamond Dawg Gameday: host Auburn

STARKVILLE – With a busy weekend planned on campus, the No. 2 Mississippi State baseball program will host its first SEC series of the 2019 campaign, as it welcomes No. 16 Auburn for a three-game set beginning on Friday, March 22 at 6 p.m.

State won its SEC-opening series with a pair of wins at Florida, taking the first two games of the series by scores of 6-5 and 10-4, respectively. Auburn opened SEC play with a three-game sweep of Tennessee at home.

The two teams enter the matchup with two of the top five ERAs in the NCAA. The Tigers lead the NCAA with a 2.11 earned run average, largely thanks to six shutouts so far in 2019. State sits No. 5 nationally with a 2.32 ERA.

Gameday Info
Friday, March 22, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: Ethan Small, LHP, R-Jr.
AU: Tanner Burns, RHP, So.

Live Video: https://hailst.at/2JsFqZ6
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2JxdWBD

Saturday, March 23, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: JT Ginn, RHP, Fr.
AU: TBA

Live Video: https://hailst.at/2Ju56o9
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2JxeyqV

Sunday, March 24, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: Keegan James, RHP, R-Jr.
AU: TBA

Live Video: https://hailst.at/2JyI7IG
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2Jycpv5

Each game this weekend will be available via audio stream at HailState.com.

Quick Hitters

State has pushed its name into the top five in all six major polls, including a No. 2 ranking in five of those, marking the highest ranking for the program since 2016. MORE ON PAGE 5 & 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 2006 season at 20-2. The 2006 squad won 18-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 9 & 21
The Diamond Dawgs ran their winning streak to 14-games before a loss at Florida, 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
MSU/Auburn

Mississippi State and Auburn have met 200 times prior to this weekend's three-game series in Starkville, with the Bulldogs owning a 107-92-1 edge on the all-time ledger.
Auburn swept three games from State in the first meetings between the two program in 1908. Those games were played at Auburn
The only non-decision between the two teams came in a 1-1 tied during the 1915 season. That season, State took the first two games of the series in Columbus, Miss. before tying in the finale.
The longest winning streak in the series belongs to Mississippi State at 16 games. The Diamond Dawgs carried that streak from 1982-85. State also owns a pair of six-game winning streaks.
Auburn's longest winning streak is six games, which spanned from 1916-1947.
Mississippi State is 15-10 against Auburn in the last 25 meetings, but has dropped four of the last five contests.

Promotions
Friday: The third of seven Inaugural Season commemorative baseballs will be given to the first 1,000 fans to enter the gates. Ball No. 3 honors C.R. "Dudy" Noble.

NOTE: With the Mississippi State women's basketball team slated to be playing inside Humphrey Coliseum, the Friday Night Fireworks have been moved to Thursday, March 28. This means two-times the fireworks next weekend against LSU.

Saturday: Salute to Service Game

Sunday: The second set of MSU trading cards will be available to the first 1,000 fans through the gates. Also, every Sunday is Kids Day at the Park, presented by by Le Bohneur, with Kids Run the Bases Postgame (weather permitting).

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: host Auburn

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Justin Foscue

JT Ginn

Keegan James

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawg Gameday: host Auburn

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Justin Foscue

JT Ginn

Keegan James

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

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