Diamond Dawg Gameday: South Alabama

STARKVILLE – The No. 5 Mississippi State baseball program opens a four-game week with a non-conference tilt versus South Alabama on Wednesday, April 10 evening at Dudy Noble Field. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.

It will be Game of Thrones Night at the "New Dude," as the Diamond Dawgs (27-6) look to add to the 10-0 midweek mark against the Jaguars (14-17). MSU is coming off of a series victory at Tennessee, while USA dropped two of three games at No. 19 Coastal Carolina.

Mississippi State continues to rank among the top 10 in all six of the major national polls and will send junior Jack Eagan to the mound for his first start in the maroon and white. South Alabama will go with senior Patrick McBride in his second start of the season.

On Game of Thrones night, fans will have the opportunity to have their photo taken on the iron throne, while the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a free T-shirt. Game of Thrones inspire video clips and music will also be featured throughout the game.

Gameday Info
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Probable Starters
MSU: Jack Eagan, LHP, Jr.
USA: Patrick McBride, RHP, Sr.

Live Video: https://hailst.at/2KjXzIT
Live Audio: https://hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: https://hailst.at/2KlqAnA

Along with the audio stream, the contest will be carried on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network and 100.9 FM in Starkville.

Quick Hitters

Senior Jake Mangum owns a hit in 80 percent of the games he has played in, which has him atop the Mississippi State hits chart and bearing down on the SEC's all-time mark. MORE ON PAGE 10-11
Mississippi State and South Alabama will meet for the 75th time on the diamond Wednesday, with State owning a 47-37 mark on the all-time ledger. MORE ON PAGE 5
MSU won its second-straight road series to start the SEC season, marking just the second time in the last 10 seasons it has done so.
Fans have flooded the gates at Dudy Noble Field thus far in 2019, with four crowds of 10,000-plus through seven weeks, which is already tied for the third-most in program history. MORE ON PAGE 6
Senior Elijah MacNamee and sophomore Jordan Westburg picked up back-to-back SEC Player of the Week honors on March 18 and 25.
MORE ON PAGE 8
Redshirt-junior Ethan Small ranks No. 4 nationally in strikeouts and enters week nine atop the SEC charts with 79 Ks in 48 innings of work. MORE ON PAGE 7, 12 & 25
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
South Alabama

Mississippi State and South Alabama will meet for the 75th time in program history on Wednesday, with the Bulldogs owning a 47-27 edge in the all-time series.
The two programs met for the first time in 1976, with MSU taking a pair of games, 4-0 and 2-1, midway through the season in Starkville.
South Alabama won its first game in the series next season, taking a 9-4 decision in Mobile in 1977.
From 1983-88, State claimed a series-best 10-straight wins, winning five at home and five on the road.
MSU also owns the second-longest winning streak in the series at six games, doing so twice, spanning 1998-2000 and 2010-14.
The two programs have met three times in the NCAA postseason, with State winning a 2013 meeting, before the two teams split a pair of games in the 2017 postseason.
Over the last 10 games, Mississippi State is 7-3 against South Alabama.

Promotions
On Game of Thrones night, fans will have the opportunity to have their photo taken on the iron throne, while the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a free T-shirt. Game of Thrones inspire video clips and music will also be featured throughout the game.

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: South Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jack Eagan

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

Jordan Westburg

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawg Gameday: South Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jack Eagan

Elijah MacNamee

Jake Mangum

Ethan Small

Jordan Westburg

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