Diamond Dogs Close Out '09 Slate Hosting No. 2 LSU
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State lowers the curtains on its 2009 baseball season at Dudy Noble Field this week as the Bulldogs (24-27, 8-18 SEC) host second-ranked and SEC-leading LSU (39-14, 19-9 SEC) in a three-game series at Dudy Noble Field.
Thursday’s series-opener is set for 6:36 p.m. and will be televised primarily in Louisiana markets by Jumbo Sports.
The Bulldogs notched their third win in their last four games Tuesday afternoon at Memphis’ AutoZone Park with a 6-5 decision over the Memphis Tigers. Junior righty Justin Bussey pitched six scoreless innings of two-hit relief while striking out six and the Bulldogs belted a trio of home runs to earn the win. Sophomore DH Cody Freeman drilled a pair of roundtrippers and junior Ryan Duffy provided the game-winning blow with a tie-breaking solo shot to open the eighth inning. It was Duffy’s fifth home run in his last seven games.
State will be looking to duplicate its success of a week ago when the Diamond Dogs knocked off No. 7 Ole Miss twice in three games at UM’s Swayze Field/O-U Stadium to earn their second SEC series win of the year. Senior relief pitchers Chad Crosswhite and Jared Wesson notched saves as State clinched the series with 6-5 and 11-8 wins.
LSU, making a bid to become the SEC’s first 40-game winner in 2009, enters the final weekend of league competition with a half-game lead over Alabama and a one-game edge over both Florida and Ole Miss.
Junior lefty Tyler Whitney (3-4, 5.25), who turned in a strong seven-inning start and earned the win in State’s series-opening 6-5 decision at Ole Miss, will open on the hill for the Bulldogs. LSU will counter with sophomore righty Anthony Ranaudo (6-3, 3.10), who leads the SEC with 112 strikeouts in 12 games.
Bulldog senior catcher Scott DeLoach (.355), riding a career-best 10-game hitting streak, has taken over the top spot among MSU’s hitting leaders. The Madison, Miss., product went 5-for-10 with three doubles, a career-first home run and four walks last weekend at Ole Miss and leads the Southeastern Conference with a .497 on-base percentage.
The series continues Friday at 6:36 p.m. and concludes with a 2 p.m. game Saturday. MSU will salute its nine senior players prior to Saturday’s season finale.