Diamond Dogs Open Road Run Against JSU Tuesday In Pearl
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State opens a five-game road trip Tuesday night taking on the Jackson State Tigers in the first of two midweek games for the Diamond Dogs at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
State (20-23) is the visiting team in Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. matchup with JSU (28-14) and the designated home team Wednesday when State takes on Southern Miss (25-17) in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Trustmark Park, the home of the Mississippi Braves.
Right-hander Kendall Graveman (2-2, 7.09), one of seven freshmen on the MSU pitching staff, is expected to open on the mound and lead a split Mississippi State pitching lineup. He pitched two innings and retired six of the seven batters he faced in a relief appearance against Jackson State April 6 at Dudy Noble Field. Bulldog senior Ryan Duffy went
5-for-5 in that 18-2 MSU win, setting the school total base record (15) and becoming the seventh Bulldog player to hit three home runs in a game. MSU holds a 50-7 all-time lead in its series with Jackson State dating back to 1976.
The Tigers sport a .317 team batting average, led by senior catcher Cortez Cole's SWAC-leading .417 batting average. JSU lead-off hitter Willie Wesley (.348) opens the week with 43 stolen bases in 46 attempts.
The Bulldogs' road run continues in Auburn, Ala., this weekend when the Bulldogs and the Tigers square off in a three-game SEC Western Division series at Plainsman Park.
The radio broadcast of all five games will be carried on the 14-station MSU Baseball Radio Network. Audio coverage is also available online (www.MStateAthletics.com/M2Mlive) to "Maroon to the Max" subscribers.