Second Season Starts Saturday For No. 13 Diamond Dawgs
STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 13 Mississippi State (15-4) continues its season-opening homestand this weekend against Alabama (9-6) at Dudy Noble Field. The Southeastern Conference opener for both teams is Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by game two of the doubleheader 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one. First pitch for the series finale is Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Need To Know
- Mississippi State’s pitching staff has held opponents to three runs or less in 14 of its first 19 games.
- MSU ranks third in the nation in double plays (21) and leads the NCAA with 222 twin killings since the beginning of 2012.
- The Maroon and White are fifth nationally with 170 strikeouts and are second in the country in Ks since 2012 (1,807).
- State is second in the country behind Eastern Michigan (19) with 15 opponent base runners thrown out attempting to steal (15).
- Offensively, the Bulldogs rank second in the country in on-base percentage (.428) and walks (113), seventh in runs (135) and 14th in hits (180).
- Dating back to last season, senior shortstop Seth Heck has reached base safely in 48 of his last 49 games overall, including 18-straight games in SEC play.
- Heck enters 2015 with a 13-game SEC hitting streak.
- In 30 games against SEC opponents last year, All-SEC catcher Gavin Collins hit a team-high .360 (31 for 86) with a team-best .465 slugging percentage (7 XBH, 13 RBIs).
- In three games at Alabama last May, Tuscaloosa native Jake Vickerson hit .600 with two runs.
Weather
Saturday Forecast: 68 Degrees - Mostly Cloudy - 0% Chance of Rain
Sunday Forecast: 59 Degrees - Partly Sunny - 30% Chance of Rain
Live Video and Television
All three games will be available on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app. SEC Network + replaces HailStateTV as MSU’s online video streaming service.
Watch Saturday Game One | Watch Saturday Game Two | Watch Sunday’s Game
IMPOTANT VIDEO: The SEC Network and SEC Network + are two distinct channels with separate offerings.
Live Audio and Radio
All three games will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. All three games will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
Probable Starters
Saturday (G1) – RJr. RHP Preston Brown (3-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. Sr. LHP Taylor Guilbeau (2-1, 2.67 ERA)
Saturday (G2) – So. RHP Austin Sexton (2-0 ERA, 2.61 ERA) vs. Jr. RHP Will Carter (1-1, 4.35 ERA)
Sunday – So. LHP Vance Tatum (2-0, 1.99 ERA) vs. So. RHP Geoffrey Bramblett (3-1, 4.35 ERA)
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
Saturday – 500 baseballs commemorating 125th season of Mississippi State baseball (1B Gate)
Sunday – Kids Day at the Park – 1,000 Buffalo Wild Wings 2015 Mississippi State Baseball Trading Cards (Set #1 of 3 – 1B Gate); Kids Can Run the Bases Postgame
Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for incredible fan experiences such as:
Welcome Message on Video Board
Hall of Champions Tour
Pre-Game Mound Photo
125th Season Pennant
Second Base Delivery
Visit the Dugout
125th Season Decal
Rankings
Mississippi State – No. 13 in USA Today Coaches’ Poll, No. 15 in Baseball America and NCBWA, No. 16 in Collegiate Baseball, and No. 22 in D1 Baseball and Perfect Game.
Alabama – Receiving Votes (NCBWA)
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.”