Dogs Host 'Dores In Final 2010 Series At Dudy Noble Field
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State (21-28/5-19 SEC) closes out its 33-game 2010 home baseball schedule this weekend, hosting SEC Eastern Division foe Vanderbilt (36-13/12-10 SEC) in a three-game set at Dudy Noble Field. Friday's series-opener is set for 6:30 p.m. MSU will honor its seven senior players prior to Saturday's 2 p.m. game, while Sunday's series finale is set for 1:30 p.m. The first 500 fans at the stadium Saturday will receive a set of MSU's 2010 player cards.
The radio broadcast of all three games of the MSU-Vanderbilt series can be heard on the 14-station MSU Baseball Radio Network, with live video coverage available online to subscribers of MSU's "Maroon to the Max" (www.MStateAthletics.com/m2mlive).
The Bulldogs ended a program-longest run of 11 consecutive setbacks Wednesday night with an 8-5 win over Northwestern State, and in this weekend's series State looks to halt a run of nine straight losses in league competition.
Senior first baseman Connor Powers broke a 1-1 seventh-inning deadlock with an run-scoring single and started a six-run Bulldog burst that led to State's 8-5 win over NSU's Demons. Designated hitter Russ Sneed doubled in the game's first run in the opening frame and followed Powers' hit with a three-run blast, his ninth homer of the year in State's 19th win of the campaign at Dudy Noble Field. Freshman lefty Chad Girodo allowed but one run over five innings, the longest of his three starts this year, while in relief Caleb Reed notched his first win and Trey Johnson picked up his initial save.
Powers (.389/64 RBI) enters his final weekend of play at Dudy Noble Field leading the SEC with 64 RBI, riding a team-best seven-game hitting streak, and ranked fourth with 52 career home runs, tied for sixth with 202 career RBI and tied for seventh with 52 career doubles.
Senior lefty Tyler Whitney (0-3, 5.82) is set to open on the mound Friday opposite Vandy sophomore righty Sonny Gray (6-4, 3.07). Freshman Chris Stratton (4-3, 5.97) is MSU's Saturday starter while Sunday's starter for State has not been determined. Vanderbilt's Saturday and Sunday starters will be either junior Taylor Hill (5-3, 3.22) or sophomore Jack Armstrong (6-1, 3.64), both right-handers.
MSU closes out its 120th season of baseball on the road next week, facing instate rival Southern Miss Tuesday night in Hattiesburg before opening a three-game SEC series against LSU in Baton Rouge Thursday. It will mark the first appearance at the new Alex Box Stadium for the Bulldogs, who two years ago were the last SEC team to face the Tigers in the old LSU ball park.