State Hosts Central Arkansas At 7 p.m. Friday In Starkville Regional
It’s the third straight NCAA Tournament advancement for the Bulldogs and the 12th time Mississippi State has hosted NCAA regional tournament competition at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs climbed back into the national top 10, earning a No. 9 ranking in this week’s NCBWA writers polls following a 3-1 showing and third place finish in last week’s SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
Senior right-hander Kendall Graveman (5-5, 3.04) will open on the mound for the Bulldogs while the Bears have tabbed senior righty Caleb McClanahan (10-5, 2.17) for opening night duties.
The NCAA Starkville Regional is regarded by some as having the nation’s toughest regional tournament field. The tournament pits top-seeded State against No. 4 seed Central Arkansas, a team which handed the Bulldogs their final home loss of the 2012 campaign and this year halted State’s season-opening win streak in winning two of three games in early March.
Advance ticket sales for the tournament topped the 6,300 mark Thursday afternoon with sales continuing at a brisk pace. General admission all-tournament tickets ($50) are still available through the MSU Athletic Ticket Office.
Game day general admission ($10) ticket sales will begin at 8 a.m. at the MSU Athletics Ticket Office in the Bryan Building and at the Dudy Noble Field ticket office at 12 p.m., two hours prior to Friday’s tournament opener. A “will call” ticket tent for patrons who made advance tournament ticket purchases will open at 9 a.m. near the right field gate to Dudy Noble Field.
The tournament continues with games at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, with a seventh “if necessary game” set for a 7 p.m. start Monday if needed.