State Hosts NSU Demons Wednesday On Baseball Card Night
STARKVILLE, Miss. - After playing eight of their past 11 games on the road, the Bulldogs (20-28) return to action at Dudy Noble Field Wednesday night hosting Northwestern State (29-18) in the first game of State's final four-game home stand of the 2010 campaign. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., and the first 250 fans at the game will receive a set of MSU's 2010 baseball player cards.
Wednesday's non-conference home finale is also "Military Appreciation Night" at Dudy Noble Field. Military personnel can receive a free admission to the game upon presentation of a military identification card at the stadium ticket office.
State closes out its 33-game home schedule this weekend and battles its eighth ranked opponent of the year with a three-game series against the 17th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores (35-13).
Two freshman left-handers have been given the nod in Wednesday night's MSU-NSU matchup. Chad Girodo (1-3, 7.79) will open on the hill and draw his third start of the year for State, while the Demons will counter with first-time starter Mason Melotakis (0-0, 0.82).
The Bulldogs will be looking to halt a program-longest 11-game losing skid while extending a series winning streak against the Demons. State has claimed all six of its previous meetings with Northwestern State, including their last two contests played at Dudy Noble Field at the end of the 1991 regular season.
Senior first baseman Connor Powers (.389) enters the week riding a team-best six-game hitting streak. The Naperville, Ill., product hit .500 (6x12) last weekend at Auburn, registering his SEC-leading 18th double, his 14th home run and his league-best 63rd RBI. Among MSU's career leaders, Powers ranks fourth with 52 home runs, tied for seventh with 52 doubles, and seventh with 201 RBI in 194 career games played.
Senior outfielder Luke Adkins (.335) also registered a six-hit weekend at Auburn, lacing a double and belting three home runs against the Tigers.
Northwestern State enters the series with a .321 team batting average, second-highest in the Southland Conference. Senior outfielder Eric DeBlanc paces the Demons and sports his league's second-highest batting average, .393.