Diamond Dawgs Travel To Memphis Tuesday
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Coming off a 2-1 series victory against then No. 13 South Carolina, the Mississippi State baseball team (21-13) travels to Memphis (19-8) for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Tuesday at AutoZone Park. The Tigers, who play at Belmont Monday night before Tuesday’s game against MSU, went 2-1 this past weekend at home against nationally-ranked Houston.
The two teams met last season at Dudy Noble Field, with Memphis upsetting the No. 2 Bulldogs by a score of 6-4 in February. Current sophomore outfielder Cody Brown had a pinch hit two-RBI single and scored in the contest for the Maroon and White, while first baseman Wes Rea went 1 for 3 with an RBI and two walks.
State is 52-25 all-time against the Tigers, including a 19-11 record in Memphis. The Maroon and White own a 5-2 mark at AutoZone Park, including a 12-1 victory on April 23, 2013, where top San Diego Padres prospect Hunter Renfroe hit a three-run home run.
Need To Know
- John Cohen is 5-2 versus Memphis in seven seasons as Mississippi State’s skipper.
- The Bulldogs have won 22 of their last 26 games against the Tigers.
- Memphis head coach Daron Schoenrock was an assistant coach at Mississippi State from 2002-04 before, becoming head coach at Memphis in 2005.
- The Tigers’ associate head coach, Russ McNickle, was a graduate assistant coach in Starkville from 1988-90, the same three seasons Cohen was an outfielder for the Bulldogs.
- Offensively, State is second nationally with 192 walks, 13th in on-base percentage (.405) and 29th in runs (211).
- Defensively, the Bulldogs are third in the country with 39 double plays and lead the NCAA since 2012 with 240 twin killings.
- Additionally, State’s defense is 28th in the country with a .976 fielding percentage.
- Since 2012, the Bulldogs are fourth in the nation with 1,898 strikeouts.
- Senior first baseman Wes Rea ranks fifth nationally with 31 walks and is 13th in on-base percentage (.508).
- In the past week, the outfield duo of Cody Brown and Jake Vickerson batted one-two in the lineup, combining to hit .548 (17 for 31) with 13 runs, seven RBI, six doubles and six walks.
- After scoring three runs in 36 total innings March 23-29, the Bulldog offense exploded this past week (March 30-April 5), scoring 34 runs in 38 innings.
- The 27 runs alone against the Gamecocks were the most in a SEC series by MSU since plating 27 at Texas A&M in 2013.
- State has used the same batting order in its last four games.
- MSU’s 12 doubles against South Carolina were the most in a three-game series in the John Cohen era (2009-present).
Rankings
Mississippi State – Receiving Votes in NCBWA Division I Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll
Memphis – Receiving Votes in NCBWA Division I Poll
Weather
Tuesday’s Forecast (April 7) – 80 Degrees – Sunny (20%)
Live Video and Television
Tuesday’s game will be available on the Memphis Tiger Network.
Live Audio and Radio
Tuesday’s game will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network and will also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
Probable Starters
Tue. - MSU RHP Austin Sexton (3-2, 3.20 ERA) vs. Memphis LHP Alex Gunn (2-0, 1.96 ERA)
Tickets
Tickets are still available and can be purchased online by clicking here or at the ticket office located at AutoZone Park, which opens one hour before first pitch.
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.”