Diamond Dawgs Open the 2025 Season Against Manhattan

STARKVILLE – Baseball season is here! The Mississippi State Bulldogs kick of the 2025 season on Friday when they open a three-game set with the Manhattan Jaspers at Dudy Noble Field.

The Diamond Dawgs and Jaspers are set for a doubleheader on Friday starting at 12 p.m. with game two following 40 minutes at the conclusion of game one. Game three is set for Sunday with first pitch at 1 p.m. All three games of the series will be televised on SEC Network+ and will also be carried on the Bulldog Sports Network powered by LEARFIELD, along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand.

Gameday Info
Friday, Feb. 14 (12 p.m.) – Game 1
Probable Starters
MSU: Pico Kohn (0-0, 0.00 ERA), LHP, Jr.
Manhattan: Braedon Ramero (0-0, 0.00 ERA), RHP, Jr.

Live Video: hailst.at/4jZ3VKM
Live Audio: hailstate.com/OnDemand
Live Stats: hailst.at/StatBroadcast

Friday, Feb. 14 (40 minutes following game 1) – Game 2
Probable Starters
MSU: Karson Ligon (0-0, 0.00 ERA), RHP, Sr.
Manhattan: Brad Grasser (0-0, 0.00 ERA), RHP, Jr.

Live Video: hailst.at/4jZ3VKM
Live Audio: hailstate.com/OnDemand
Live Stats: hailst.at/StatBroadcast

Sunday, Feb. 16 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Stone Simmons (0-0, 0.00 ERA), LHP, Sr.
Manhattan: Joseph Duffield (0-0, 0.00 ERA), RHP, So.

Live Video: hailst.at/41gRmTP
Live Audio: hailstate.com/OnDemand
Live Stats: hailst.at/StatBroadcast

Quick Hitters

The Diamond Dawgs are starting the 2025 season ranked in four of the five Preseason Top 25 polls (No. 18 D1 Baseball and Baseball America, No. 19 NCBWA and USA Today Coaches Top 25).
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.
Noah Sullivan earned preseason All-American honors by the NCBWA as a two-way player. Last season, Sullivan finished 8-1 on the mound through 75 and 2/3 innings of work and hit .324 with 17 home runs and 56 RBIs while at USC Upstate as a utility player.
Hunter Hines bat is a thing to watch for the 2025 season as he was named Pre-season First Team All-SEC First Baseman. Hines is ranked fourth in program history with 54 career home runs, 13 home runs shy of tying for first in program history, which is held by Rafael Palmeiro. Hines' 54 career home runs are the most among any active player in the SEC.
Mississippi State is great at turning out major league talent, with 70 Diamond Dawgs reaching the highest level of the sport, but it is also great at keeping student-athletes on campus.

Scouting the Opponent –Manhattan

Manhattan finished the 2024 season 22-30 overall and 10-14 in MAAC play.
The Jaspers finished tied for fifth in the MAAC (10-14) during the 2024 season. They are projected to finish 10th in the 2025 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Trevor Hansen returns for the Jaspers who finished last season with a .291 batting average, the highest of the returning offense. Through 196 plate appearances Hansen totaled 57 hits, 41 RBIs and 29 runs for the 2024 season.
On the mound Trey Packen returns after finishing the 2024 season with a 4.74 ERA in 16 appearances on the season. Packen grabbed 24 1/3 innings of relief work and punched out 28 opponents.
Manhattan is led by Interim Head Coach Steven Rosen. He is the youngest active D1 head coach in the country at 29 years old. Rosen is no stranger to the SEC as he was at Alabama before heading to Manhattan to be the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.

Series Notes

Mississippi State and Manhattan face off for the first time in program history.

General Admission Tickets
General admission season tickets, single-game tickets, and the baseball flex plan are on sale now and can be purchased at HailState.com/tickets. Students tickets for those without an All-Access Pass are on sale now at HailState.com/StudentTickets.

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 Open the 2025 Season Against Manhattan

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hunter Hines

Pico Kohn

Karson Ligon

Stone Simmons

Noah Sullivan

Mississippi State University Athletics

Diamond Dawgs Open the 2025 Season Against Manhattan

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hunter Hines

Pico Kohn

Karson Ligon

Stone Simmons

Noah Sullivan

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