Baseball Looks To Win 10-Straight For First Time Since 2013
STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 13 Mississippi State (9-0) continues its season-opening homestand this weekend with four games at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs will begin the weekend against Arizona at 4 p.m. Friday, before playing a doubleheader against the Wildcats and Samford beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday. State wraps up the weekend with a second game against Samford Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
VIDEO: John Cohen Previews The Weekend
VIDEO: Shortstop Seth Heck Talks About 2015 So FarWeekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 27, 2015
G1 - 12 p.m. - Samford vs. Arizona
G2 - 4 p.m. - Mississippi State vs. Arizona
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015
G3 - 11 a.m. - Arizona vs. Mississippi State
G4 - 2:35 p.m. - Samford vs. Mississippi State
Sunday, March 1, 2015
G5 - 1 p.m. - Arizona vs. Samford
G6 - 4:30 p.m. - Samford vs. Mississippi State
* Home Team Listed Second
Friday’s Forecast (Feb. 27) - High 39, Low 23 - Cloudy (0%)
Saturday’s Forecast (Feb. 28) - High 52, Low 36 - Sunny (0%)
Sunday’s Forecast (March 1) - High 55, Low 49 – Rain (80%)
Live Video and Television
Friday and game two of Saturday’s doubleheader will be available on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app. SEC Network + replaces HailStateTV as MSU’s online video streaming service. Saturday’s first game will be televised live on the SEC Network. Sunday’s game will not be televised.
Watch Friday’s Game | Watch Saturday’s Game One | Watch Saturday’s Game Two
IMPOTANT VIDEO: The SEC Network and SEC Network + are two distinct channels with separate offerings.
Live Audio and Radio
Friday’s game will be available on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. All other MSU games this weekend will air on WMXU 106.1 FM. All four MSU games will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
Probable Starters
Game One – Samford RHP Alex Ledford vs. Arizona RHP Tyger Talley
Game Two – Mississippi State RHP Preston Brown vs. Arizona RHP Austin Schnabel
Game Three – Arizona RHP Bobby Medel vs. Mississippi State LHP Lucas Laster
Game Four – Samford RHP Jared Brasher vs. Mississippi State RHP Austin Sexton
Game Five – Arizona LHP Xavier Borde vs. Samford RHP Cole Limbaugh
Game Six – Samford TBA vs. Mississippi State TBA
Tickets
Tickets are still available and can be purchased at HailState.com/tickets or at the MSU ticket office behind home plate, which opens two hours before first pitch every game.
Promotions
Friday – First 300 fans receive commemorative 125 Seasons Mini Wooden Bats at first base entrance
Saturday – 125 Seasons pennants at first base gate while supplies last
Sunday - Kids Day at the Park – Kids Can Run the Bases Post-Game
Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for incredible fan experiences such as:
Throwing out the first pitch
Standing with the team for the national anthem
Announce MSU batters for half an inning
Announce “Play Ball”
Tour the Hall of Champions
Rankings
Mississippi State – No. 13 in Baseball America, 14th in Collegiate Baseball, 15th in NCBWA, 18th in Perfect Game, 22nd in D1 Baseball and 25th in USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Arizona – Receiving Votes in NCBWA Poll
Samford – Not Ranked
Need To Know
- Mississippi State is one of just seven unbeaten/untied teams remaining in college baseball and is one of three squads with nine wins and zero losses (Southern Cal, Texas A&M).
- The Bulldogs lead the nation in runs scored (91) and walks (69), while ranking third in on-base percentage (.480).
- Week one National Player of the Week Jacob Robson leads the NCAA with 16 runs scored, while ranking eighth nationally with six stolen bases, ninth with 10 walks and 10th with a .675 OBP.
- Current SEC Freshman of the Week Ryan Gridley is seventh in the country in average (.591), ninth in runs (12) and 11th in OBP (.667).
- Shortstop Seth Heck has reached base safely in 39-consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the country. Heck ranks in the top-15 in the country in hit by pitches (4th), OBP (8th), walks (9th) and hits (12th).
- Head coach John Cohen is 191-4 when leading after the eighth inning, and currently has a closer (Trevor Fitts) who is a perfect 3 for 3 in save opportunities this season.
- Mississippi State has turned a nation-leading 208 double plays since the beginning of the 2012 season.
- Of State’s 76 RBIs this season, 31 have come with two outs (41 percent).
- After having just five double-digit scoring games a year ago, MSU has scored 10-plus runs in four of its first nine games in 2015.
- MSU’s bullpen has not allowed a run in 35 1/3 of its 40 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Social Media
For more information on head coach John Cohen’s club, follow the team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”