Diamond Dogs Host Memphis Wednesday To Open Homestand
STARKVILLE, Miss. - After playing seven of its last eight games on the road and five of those against top 15-ranked opponents, Mississippi State (11-9, 0-3 SEC) resumes play at Dudy Noble Field Wednesday entertaining long-time non-conference foe Memphis (9-11) in a 6:30 p.m. contest. It's the 71st baseball meeting between the Bulldogs and the Tigers.
General admission tickets are $5 and available at the stadium ticket office beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday's game opens a four-game homestand for the Bulldogs, who close out their 10-game March home schedule this weekend entertaining SEC Eastern Division opponent Georgia (8-12, 0-3 SEC).
State is expected to use multiple pitchers in a split pitching assignment Wednesday. The Bulldogs sent nine pitchers to the hill in last week's 16-2 weeknight win over Mississippi Valley State. Starting pitchers for both teams will be announced Wednesday.
Junior first baseman Connor Powers continues to power the Bulldog offense. The Naperville, Ill., product leads the SEC in RBI (33), is tied for first in home runs (8), ranks second in hits (32) and total bases (61), third in slugging percentage (.792) and fourth in batting average (.416). Powers, with 46 career home runs, is tied for sixth with Richard Lee (1995-98), and with 171 career RBI, is one away from joining State's career top 10 in that category. He's hit safely in 16 of 20 games and leads the club with 13 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games.
The Tigers, coached by former MSU assistant coach Daron Schoenrock, swept a three-game home series last weekend with Tennessee Tech. UM senior right-hander Ryan Fraser registered a career-high 12 batters in a route-going performance to clinch the series for the Tigers. Senior outfielder Tyler Huelsing went 10-for-18 with four home runs and 12 RBI to pace UM at the plate. Both players earned C-USA weekly honors.
The radio broadcast of the MSU-Memphis and MSU-Georgia games will be carried on the 14-station MSU Baseball Radio Network, with live audio and video streaming available on-line (www.MStateAthletics.com/m2mlive) to subscribers of "Maroon to the Max", the premium extension of the MSU athletics web site.