Diamond Dawgs Set To Host Ga. Southern

STARKVILLE - The Mississippi State Bulldogs return to action on Friday night for the series opener against Georgia Southern at Dudy Noble Field. This will be the first matchup since 1990 for these two programs. Friday's first pitch is set for 4 p.m., while Saturday has a first pitch of 2 p.m. and Sunday is slated for 1 p.m.

The three-game series will be broadcast on SECN+. The series will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand.

Gameday Info
Friday, Feb. 23 (4 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Nate Dohm, (0-0), RHP, Jr.
GS: Thomas Higgins, (0-0), RHP, RSo.

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Saturday, Feb. 24 (2 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Khal Stephen, (0-0), RHP, Jr.
GS: Mitchell Gross, (0-1), LHP, RSr.

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Sunday, Feb. 25 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Jurrangelo Cijntje, (0-0), BHP, So.
GS: Ty Fisher, (1-0), LHP, 5th

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Promotions/Giveaways
Friday, Feb. 23 – The first 300 fans can receive a State-To-The-Show Poster of Adam Frazier
Saturday, Feb. 24 – The first 1,000 fans will receive a Ron Polk Pennant
Sunday, Feb. 25 – Sunday is Kids Day at the Dude! Kids get to run the bases following the game

Quick Hitters

Mississippi State continues its 12 game homestand this weekend with a three-game set against Georgia Southern. The Diamond Dawgs play 15 of their first 16 games at Dudy Noble Field this season.
The Dude Effect is alive and well. Reserved seating has once again sold out for the season. Mississippi State has sold out reserved seating since 1987.
The Diamond Dawgs pitching staff ranks 29th in the nation for strikeouts per nine innings over the first week of the 2024 season. The Dawgs are averaging 12 punchouts per nine innings and have recorded 60 strikeouts this season. The 60 strikeouts mark are the fourth most in the nation entering this weekend of action.
Hunter Hines has showed his power over his first two seasons in the Maroon and White. He has hit 38 homers over that span. The 38 home runs are the third most by an active player in the SEC. Tommy White (51) and Jac Caglianone (41) are the only active players ahead of Hines. The 38 home runs are the seventh most by an active player in the division 1 baseball.
Last Saturday, the Diamond Dawgs will run out junior Khal Stephen's on the mound for his second start. In his first outing of his career for State, Stephen went 7.0 innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters in the game. This was his first career game with double-digit strikeouts. He was voted the Golden Spikes Award Week 1 Performance of the Week. He did not issue a walk in his seven innings of work.
Junior Hunter Hines leads the Dawgs this season at the plate. Hines has a .381 batting average a team-high and has two doubles and driven in five. He has at least one hit in every game this season, including a three-hit game against Air Force on Feb. 18 and a two-hit game against Austin Peay on Feb. 21. He had a season-high three RBIs in the Dawgs Wednesday game against Austin Peay.
For the second straight season, Bryce Chance has gotten off to a fast start on opening week. During the 2023 season, Chance was named SEC Freshman of the Week following the opening weekend. The 2024 opening weekend was no different as he hit .417 on the weekend with one double, one home run and a team-high four RBIs. He had one walk and an on-base percentage of .462, the third highest mark on the Diamond Dawgs after the first weekend of action.
Following a freshman season that saw Dakota Jordan show off his power by hitting tape measure homers, the sophomore is ready for his second season in the Maroon and White. On Feb. 9, Jordan was one of 55 players in the nation that were named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. The Golden Spikes award to the best amateur baseball player in the nation. Jordan was named Third Team Preseason All-American by Baseball America. Jordan leads the team with two home runs this season. He is hitting .300 over the first five games of the season with four extra base hits.
Junior Cam Schuelke has been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List. He is one of 73 relievers on the list. This season, Schuelke has been used three times out of the pen and has thrown 5.1 innings and has tallied six strikeouts.
Mississippi State is great at turning out major league talent, with 68 Diamond Dawgs reaching the highest level of the sport.

Scouting the Opponent – Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern is led by head coach Rodney Hennon. He has been the head coach of the Eagles since 2000 and is tied for the longest tenured head coach in school history with 25 seasons.
The Eagles come into the weekend with a 1-3 record, and their latest loss coming at the hands of Georgia Tech.
Hennon led the Eagles to their first NCAA Regional since the 2014 season with a 41-20 record. They were labeled as the #16 National Seed and hosted the Statesboro Regional in 2022 for the first time in program history.
The Eagles are hitting .197 as a team coming into the series with the Diamond Dawgs.
Freshman Kent Schimdt leads the team in batting average with .667.
As a pitching staff, Georgia Southern has a combined ERA of 4.50.

Series Notes

This weekend's three-game set against Georgia Southern is the first time since the 1990 College World Series that these two programs have faced each other.
In the only matchup played in program history, the Diamond Dawgs came away with a 15-1 victory over the Eagles.
The Dawgs used an 11 run first inning to pull away from the Eagles in the first matchup.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Diamond Dawgs Set To Host Ga. Southern

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bryce Chance

Jurrangelo Cijntje

Nate Dohm

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Cam Schuelke

Khal Stephen

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawgs Set To Host Ga. Southern

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bryce Chance

Jurrangelo Cijntje

Nate Dohm

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Cam Schuelke

Khal Stephen

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