Diamond Dawgs Travel to Texas A&M

STARKVILLE - The Mississippi State baseball team hits the road for a three-game SEC series at No. 7 Texas A&M that starts on Thursday. This will be the Dawgs' second SEC series of the season and the second Top 10 opponent they have played in SEC play.

The Thursday game will be broadcast on ESPNU, while Friday and Saturday will be aired on SECN+. The Series will also be carried on the Bulldog Sports Network powered by LEARFIELD, along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand.

Gameday Info
Thursday, March 21 (6:30 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Evan Siary, (0-1), RHP, So.
A&M: Ryan Prager, (4-0), LHP, R-So.

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Friday, March 22 (6 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Khal Stephen, (2-2), RHP, Jr.
A&M: Tanner Jones, (1-0), RHP, Jr.

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Saturday, March 23 (2 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Jurrangelo Cijntje, (4-0), BHP, So.
A&M: Justin Lamkin, (4-0), LHP, So.

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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 America ranked the Bulldogs and since Week 4 for D1 Baseball.
The offense has taken off over the last four games for the Dawgs. MSU is hitting .368 over its last four games, including .363 against LSU in the SEC Opener. The Diamond Dawgs have outscored its opponents 50-27 in the previous four games. MSU averages 12.5 runs per game, scoring 15 or more runs in two games during this stretch. The Bats have collected 57 hits, with 19 going for extra-base hits. Eight of those extra-base hits have been home runs, with Hunter Hines hitting three.
Besides hitting for an average, the Dawgs have been getting on base, drawn 27 walks, and had five hit-by-pitches during this span. They hold an on-base percentage of .473 over this stretch.
Leading the offensive attack for the Dawgs is Dakota Jordan, who ranks third nationally in RBIs (35) and seventh in home runs (11).He leads the team in batting average (.418), home runs (11) and RBIs (35). His 35 RBIs are the third most in the NCAA, only four behind that national leader. His homers are the seventh most in the NCAA this season and the second most in the SEC. 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.
Hunter Hines has hit 42 home runs. The 42 home runs are the fourth most by an active player in the SEC. Tommy White (56), Jac Caglianone (47), and Braden Montgomery (44) are the only active players ahead of Hines. Hines and Montgomery will square off this weekend in SEC play. The 42 home runs are the seventh most by an active player in Division 1 baseball and are the 10th most in a career at Mississippi State. He is seven homers away from moving into the top five at MSU. Besides hitting for power, Hines has driven in 134 runs and is 50 RBIs away from joining the career RBI mark at MSU.
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 – Texas A&M

Texas A&M is ranked 7th in the nation and will enter this weekend with an 18-2 and 1-2 in the conference. The Aggies play Prairie View A&M on Wednesday before playing the Dawgs. Texas A&M's offense has a .304 batting average and a .557 slugging percentage. The .304 average is the sixth best in the SEC and 50th best in the nation.
The Aggies' pitching staff has collected a 2.65 ERA, the second-best ERA in the country. Evan Aschenbeck has a 0.87 ERA, the team's best in 20 2/3 innings pitched. Justin Lamkin follows with a 1.57 ERA, while Ryan Prager leads the team with four wins.
Braden Montgomery has a batting average of .368, with Jackson Appel right behind with a .362 average.
Texas A&M has hit 38 homers this season, with Jace LaViolette leading the team with 10. The 38 homers this season are the 17th most in the nation.

Series History

MSU leads the series 22-20.
The Diamond Dawgs last faced Texas A&M at home in 2023, where State lost the series in games two and three.
The first meeting between these two programs came during the 1907 season.

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Diamond Dawgs Travel to Texas A&M

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jurrangelo Cijntje

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Evan Siary

Khal Stephen

Nolan Stevens

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawgs Travel to Texas A&M

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jurrangelo Cijntje

Hunter Hines

Dakota Jordan

Evan Siary

Khal Stephen

Nolan Stevens

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