Bulldogs Entertain Arizona In Cadence Classic Series
The series closes out a season-opening 11-game homestand for the Bulldogs, who posted midweek wins over Louisiana Tech (11-1) and Louisiana Monroe (7-2) to match State's eight-win run to open the 2005 campaign. Arizona, coached by former Florida head coach Andy Lopez, enters the weekend having won six of its last seven games. The Wildcats' lone blemish over the span was a closely-contested 3-1 loss to ninth-ranked Nebraska in last week's Dairy Queen Classic in Minneapolis, Minn.
Lopez and Mississippi State skipper Ron Polk rate as two of the three coaches in NCAA history who have guided teams from three different schools to appearances in the NCAA College World Series. Lopez skippered Pepperdine to the 1992 national title and also guided Florida and Arizona to the CWS. Polk has coached Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and Georgia to a combined seven trips to college baseball's "final eight".
The Cadence Classic continues Saturday at 2 p.m. game, with Sunday's series finale set for 1:30 p.m.
A pair of lefthanders are paired in Friday's series-opener. State will open with senior Brooks Dunn (2-0, 3.00) while Arizona is expected to counter with sophomore Eric Berger (3-2, 3.95).
Both teams have relied heavily on pitching success in the early going of the season. State hurlers have ranked near the top of the SEC charts, compiling a 1.88 staff earned run average while holding opponents to a .210 batting average. Arizona, with a 4.20 staff ERA, ranks second in the Pac-10 with 149 strikeouts while allowing 47 walks.
Senior shortstop Thomas Berkery (.448) and sophomore catcher Edward Easley (.429) own the top batting averages among MSU's starters. Berkery and sophomore outfielder Andy Rice enter the weekend riding five-game hitting streaks while Berkery, Easley and Rice have hit safely in seven of eight games. Senior first baseman Brad Jones leads the club with seven RBI while Easley leads the team with five multiple-hit plate performances.
After committing six errors during a three-game opening weekend series against Marist, the Bulldogs have committed two errors in the last five games, raising their team fielding percentage to .974.
MSU enters the weekend with a No. 6 national ranking in this week's Baseball America poll, State's highest since being ranked sixth following competition in the 1998 NCAA College World Series.
Weekend pitching matchups
FRIDAY - MARCH 10 - 4 P.M. UA: No. 18-Eric Berger (So., LHP - 3-2, 3.95) MSU: No. 38-Brooks Dunn (Sr., LHP - 2-0, 3.00)
SATURDAY - MARCH 11 - 2 P.M. UA: No. 11-Preston Guilmet (Fr., RHP - 1-1, 3.47) MSU: No. 12-Josh Johnson (Jr., RHP - 2-0, 1.46)
SUNDAY - MARCH 12 - 1:30 P.M. UA: No. 46-Brad Mills (Jr., LHP - 2-0, 3.68) MSU: No. 30-John Lalor (So., RHP - 2-0, 2.13)