Diamond Dawg Gameday: host Memphis

Tuesday, May 9

Starkville

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

Memphis

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STARKVILLE, MS - May 07, 2023 - Mississippi State Outfielder Kellum Clark (#11) during the game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. Photo By Laura Parsley

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Diamond Dawg Gameday: host Memphis

May 08, 2023 | Baseball

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STARKVILLE – The Bulldogs return to action with a midweek matchup against the Memphis Tigers on Tuesday. First pitch for the contest is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The game is set to be broadcast on SECN+. It will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/Listen. Click HERE for a full list of the 2023 MSU Baseball Radio Affiliates.

Gameday Info
Tuesday, May 9 (6 p.m. CT)
Probable Starters
MSU: Parker Stinnett (2-0), RHP, Jr.
UM: Glenn Green III (4-0), RHP, Fr.

LIVE VIDEO: hailst.at/3pbmYte
LIVE AUDIO: hailst.at/audio
LIVE STATS: hailst.at/StatBroadcast

Quick Hitters

The Diamond Dawgs have been racking up strikeouts this season. Over 47 games, the Dawgs have tallied 479 Ks. The 479 punchouts are the 15^th most in the NCAA this season. The staff ranks 12th in the country in strikeouts per nine innings, averaging 10.8.
Over the course of the season, Hunter Hines is hitting .313 with 22 home runs and 57 RBIs. His 22 home runs on the season ties Hines for third in the nation. Hines now ranks sixth in Bulldog history with single-season home runs, tying Tommy Raffo. With one homer, he will tie Brent Rooker for fifth in a single season.
The Dawgs have hit 81 home runs, the 24^th best mark in the NCAA. They have hit at least one home run in 12 of the last 15 SEC games. The Dawgs have hit a home run in 37 of 47 games this season.
The Diamond Dawgs are finding ways to reach base this season, including drawing walks. The Bulldogs have drawn 270 base on balls this season, which is 22^nd most in the NCAA. Eleven different players have drawn ten or more walks this season. Colton Ledbetter leads the team with 43 walks this season. Luke Hancock follows with 38 walks, while Amani Larry is third on the team with 31. Ledbetter is tied for ninth in the nation for walks.
APRIL BOMBS: The Bulldogs finished with home runs in 13 of the 16 games played in the month of April, including two four-homer games against Alabama and Auburn.
Ross Highfill exploded at the plate in game three against Lipscomb. He hit three home runs, becoming the first Bulldog to do such since Brent Rooker did on April 8, 2017. He then added a two-home run game against Alabama in the first game of the series.
Mississippi State is great at turning out major league talent, with 66 Diamond Dawgs reaching the highest level of the sport, but it is also great at keeping student-athletes on campus. The Dawgs returned one player, KC Hunt, who was drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022. This season, the Dawgs had seven players on Opening Day Rosters.
This past weekend, JP France got the call to the majors. He was the 67th Diamond Dawg to get the call to MLB. He made his debut on Saturday night when he started for the Houston Astros. He went five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and striking out five.
Mississippi State has the BEST fans in collegiate baseball, which showed during the 2023 season. The Dawgs averaged the most fans on opening weekend, and led the nation with 11,127 per game. For Super Bulldog Weekend, 43,986 fans showed up and out for a three-game set, averaging 14,662 per game. They also set the NCAA record for single game attendance for an on-campus facility at the Dude when 16,423 fans gushed into the stadium when the Diamond Dawgs took on Ole Miss on April 15, 2023.

Scouting the Opponent – Memphis

The Tigers are led by first year head coach Kerrick Jackson. Jackson was previously head coach at Southern University (2018-20).
Memphis enters the midweek matchup with a 26-22 record, while flaunting a five-game win streak, including a win over #25 Wichita State. They are coming off a sweep of South Florida, the first sweep of a conference series since May 4-5, 2013, when the Tigers were members of Conference USA.
Austin Baskin was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for his performance last week. Baskin hit 9-for-15 (.600) on the week, including a 4-for-4 performance with a home run, double and two RBIs in Sunday's sweep clinching win over South Florida.
The Tigers finished the 2022 season with a 26-29 record.
The Memphis pitching staff enters the contest with a 4.96 ERA.
Dalton Fowler leads the Tigers in victories (5) and strikeouts (96).
Dalton Kendrick ranks first nationally in saves (12).
The Tigers bat .256 as a squad. They are led by Logan Kohler, who bats .317.

Series Notes

The Dawgs and the Tigers meet for the 84^th time on Tuesday.
State won the last matchup in Memphis by a score of 10-4.
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 56-27.
The first matchup between these two programs was in 1950.

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