Diamond Dawgs Host Memphis in Midweek Action

STARKVILLE - The Mississippi State baseball team returns to Dudy Noble Field to host Memphis in midweek action on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

The first pitch for the game against Memphis has been moved to 4 p.m. because of forecasted weather in Starkville.

Tuesday's game will be broadcasted on SECN+ and will also be carried on the Bulldog Sports Network powered by LEARFIELD along with live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand.

Gameday Info
Tuesday, March 19 (4 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Bradley Loftin, (0-0), LHP, So.
MEM: Cade Davis, (1-3), RHP, R-So.

Live Video: hailst.at/43pyTDU
Live Audio: hailst.at/audio
Live Stats: hailst.at/StatBroadcast

Promotions/Giveaways
Tuesday, March 19 – The first 250 fans can receive a State-To-The-Show Poster of Hunter Renfroe.

Quick Hitters

The conference announced Monday that Mississippi State freshman left-handed pitcher and outfielder Nolan Stevens has been named SEC Freshman of the Week. Stevens is the first Diamond Dawg to earn this award this season. He pitched a career-high 5 2/3 innings in Friday's win over No. 2 LSU. He picked up the win after he came in with the Bulldogs trailing 3-2. Stevens only allowed one hit in his outing and recorded a career-high eight strikeouts. Against New Orleans last Wednesday, Stevens hit his first collegiate home run that helped the Dawgs take down the Privateers. For the week, Stevens was 2-for-4 at the plate.
For the first time since the 2022 season, the Diamond Dawgs found themselves in three publications' top 25 polls. Following a series victory over LSU, they came in at No. 21 by D1 Baseball, No. 16 by Baseball American, and No. 24 in the NCBWA poll. This is the first time since Week 2 of the 2022 season that Baseball Amiercan ranked the Bulldogs and since Week 4 for D1 Baseball.
For the first time since the 2003 season, the Mississippi State Diamond Dawgs won a series over LSU at the Dude. The Diamond Dawgs have won the last two series against the Tigers after taking the 2023 season at LSU. Mississippi State has won four of the previous five matchups against LSU. In the 2024 series victory, the Diamond Dawgs outscored the Tigers 33-18. The Diamond Dawgs had two games of 15 or more hits and tallied 41 hits over the three-game series.
Opening SEC play this past weekend, the Diamond Dawgs bats came to life. MSU had two games of 15 or more hits against No. 2 LSU and hit five home runs in the series. Hunter Hines led the team with three home runs on the weekend, with two coming in Friday's 10-4 win. Hines and Dakota Jordan also homered in the series' final game, leading MSU to a 15-5 run-rule victory over LSU. As a team, the Diamond Dawgs hit .362 and scored 33 runs while holding LSU to 18 over the three games.
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 named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the best amateur baseball player in the country. Jordan leads the team with 10 home runs and is hitting a team-best .408.
Just last year, Joe Powell was in EMT school training to be a firefighter, but a call from Mississippi State's staff turned things around and got him back on the diamond. After 18 months away from the diamond, Powell has put together a .296 batting average, eight hits and five RBIs.
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.
Mississippi State is great at turning out major league talent, with 68 Diamond Dawgs reaching the highest level of the sport, but it is also great at keeping student-athletes on campus.

Scouting the Opponent - Memphis

Memphis heads to The Dude to take on Diamond Dawgs on Tuesday in midweek action. The Tigers come in with a record of 11-11 and are coming off a series victory over New Orleans this past weekend.
Memphis is 3-5 when playing away from home this season.
On Monday, Seth Cox was named American Athletic Conference Player of the Week after helping the Tigers win four games last week. At the Dish last week, Cox hit .471 and collected eight hits, with four going for extra bases.
As a team, the Tigers are hitting .272 with 36 home runs. They have five players hitting over .300 on the season, led by Pierre Seals' .350 average.
Cade Davis draws the start for Memphis on Tuesday, and it will be his fifth start of the season. He has an ERA of 9.37 on the season and is 1-3. The Tigers' pitching staff holds a 6.44 ERA with 189 punchouts as a team.

Series History

Mississippi State leads the series 56-27.
MSU has won the last two meetings between these two programs. Last season, the contest between the Tigers and Dawgs was canceled because of weather.
The first meeting between these two programs came during the 1950 season.

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Diamond Dawgs Host Memphis in Midweek Action

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Bradley Loftin

Joe Powell

Nolan Stevens

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawgs Host Memphis in Midweek Action

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Bradley Loftin

Joe Powell

Nolan Stevens

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