Friday, March 24
Starkville
6:30 PM
Mississippi State
vs
Tennessee
• Seven of State’s 12 wins this season have come in comeback fashion.
SEC Play Continues As Bulldogs, Volunteers Meet At Dudy Noble
March 23, 2017 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a four-game road swing, Mississippi State is back at home and ready to continue Southeastern Conference play with its first home SEC series of the season against Tennessee.
With the Diamond Dawgs (12-10, 0-3 SEC) and Volunteers (13-5, 0-3 SEC) having struggled during SEC Opening Weekend, both sides look to rebound in a big way during this weekend's series at Dudy Noble Field.
The three-game set will commence Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be followed by a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday before a 1:30 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. All three games will air live on SEC Network+ through WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.
MSU leads the all-time series 55-29 and holds a 35-12 advantage in games played in Starkville. This weekend's meeting will mark the first time the two sides have met in nearly two years as the Volunteers swept the Bulldogs in a three-game series that closed out the 2015 regular season.
VIDEO: Andy Cannizaro previews the upcoming weekend
Game Notes | Live Stats
NEED TO KNOW
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Friday Forecast: High 75, Low 60 – Cloudy – 10% Chance of Rain
Saturday Forecast: High 72, Low 55 – Thunderstorms – 90% Chance of Rain
Sunday Forecast: High 79, Low 57 – Partly Cloudy – 20% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
All MSU's games this weekend will be streamed live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Watch Friday's Game | Watch Saturday's Game | Watch Sunday's Game
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
Saturday's game will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. It will also be on TuneIn Radio. Friday and Sunday's games will be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – MSU So. LHP Konnor Pilkington (2-3, 2.12 ERA) vs. UT Sr. RHP Hunter Martin (3-2, 3.49 ERA)
Saturday – MSU TBA vs. UT Fr. RHP Zach Linginfelter (0-1, 3.74 ERA)
Sunday – MSU TBA vs. UT 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 prior to first pitch of every game.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Bully's Kids Club members and MSU students get in free with MSU ID for all regular season home games
Friday – SEC Home Opener with Friday Night Fireworks which will take place following all home Friday SEC games in 2017.
Sunday – FREE trading card sets for the first 1,000 fans (Set two of four). "Kids' Day at the Park" featuring inflatables and kids running the bases postgame.
Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for incredible fan experiences such as:
GAME MANAGEMENT POLICY CHANGES
Ice Chest / Cooler check at all DNF gates
In adherence to Southeastern Conference and MSU Game Management Policy, all ice chests and ice coolers, regardless of size, will be checked at all gates prior to entry into Dudy Noble Field-Polk Dement Stadium this season. Individuals with prohibited items will be denied entry. Stadium gates will open two hours prior to first pitch, with servicing of suites and outfield rigs permitted on game day until 30 minutes prior to the gate opening time. All individuals must exit the stadium 30 minutes prior to gate opening and may reenter at gate opening after their tickets have been scanned.
Rightfield deck no standing / Safety lane
To provide for the safe management of the newly created deck space in right field, a 4' wide "No Standing / Safety Lane" has been marked on the right field deck. This visible, safe walkway will provide an unobstructed, free moving means for individuals and emergency personnel full access to travel along the right field deck length. At no time is it permissible to block, restrict or prevent individual movement or pedestrian traffic within and along the marked lane. Pedestrians are not permitted to stop or stand at any time within the marked lane.
FOLLOW THE DIAMOND DAWGS
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program 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."
With the Diamond Dawgs (12-10, 0-3 SEC) and Volunteers (13-5, 0-3 SEC) having struggled during SEC Opening Weekend, both sides look to rebound in a big way during this weekend's series at Dudy Noble Field.
The three-game set will commence Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be followed by a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday before a 1:30 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. All three games will air live on SEC Network+ through WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.
MSU leads the all-time series 55-29 and holds a 35-12 advantage in games played in Starkville. This weekend's meeting will mark the first time the two sides have met in nearly two years as the Volunteers swept the Bulldogs in a three-game series that closed out the 2015 regular season.
VIDEO: Andy Cannizaro previews the upcoming weekend
Game Notes | Live Stats
NEED TO KNOW
- MSU is 6-1 this season when scoring in the first inning.
- Seven of State's 12 wins this season have come in comeback fashion.
- 13 of the last 14 games for State have been decided by just three runs or fewer, seven of which were one-run games.
- The Diamond Dawgs are 8-4 this season when hitting at least one home run and 11-3 when out-hitting their opponent.
- The four Bulldogs that have started the most games this season for MSU (Jake Mangum, Luke Alexander, Ryan Gridley and Brent Rooker) are batting a combined .323 (124-for-342) with 29 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 70 RBIs, 32 steals and 78 runs scored.
- Brent Rooker leads the SEC in batting average (.430), slugging percentage (.835), on-base percentage (.525), RBI (32), doubles (12), stolen bases (14) and total bases (66), tied for second in hits (34) and third in home runs (6).
- On a national level, Rooker is second in the nation in doubles (12), ranks third in steals (14), fourth in RBI (32) and fifth in slugging percentage (.835).
- After hitting .190 (4-for-21) through the first five games of the season, Gridley has since hit .410 (25-for-61) with 16 runs, 16 RBI, three doubles, four home runs, a .656 slugging percentage and .471 on-base percentage.
- In his last two two outings, Konnor Pilkington has struck out 26 in 15.2 IP and holding opponents to a .143 batting average.
- Pilkington has struck out a career-high 13 in each of his last two appearances and before that, the last MSU pitcher to throw 13+ strikeouts in a game was Jacob Lindgren vs. St. Joseph's on March 1, 2013.
- While leading the league in strikeouts (46), Pilkington is fourth in the SEC in strikeouts per nine innings (12.18) with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.75.
- MSU leads the league in stolen bases (44), while ranking second in home runs (21) and third in hit by pitch (24).
- Two Diamond Dawgs rank in the top eight for batting average - Brent Rooker (.430, 1st) and Jake Mangum (.378, 8th). Three Bulldogs rank in the top seven for stolen bases - Brent Rooker (14, 1st), Jake Mangum (8, 5th) and Ryan Gridley (7, 7th).
- Mangum ranks second in the conference in runs scored (27), hits (34) and hits per game (1.62).
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Friday Forecast: High 75, Low 60 – Cloudy – 10% Chance of Rain
Saturday Forecast: High 72, Low 55 – Thunderstorms – 90% Chance of Rain
Sunday Forecast: High 79, Low 57 – Partly Cloudy – 20% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
All MSU's games this weekend will be streamed live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Watch Friday's Game | Watch Saturday's Game | Watch Sunday's Game
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
Saturday's game will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. It will also be on TuneIn Radio. Friday and Sunday's games will be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – MSU So. LHP Konnor Pilkington (2-3, 2.12 ERA) vs. UT Sr. RHP Hunter Martin (3-2, 3.49 ERA)
Saturday – MSU TBA vs. UT Fr. RHP Zach Linginfelter (0-1, 3.74 ERA)
Sunday – MSU TBA vs. UT 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 prior to first pitch of every game.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Bully's Kids Club members and MSU students get in free with MSU ID for all regular season home games
Friday – SEC Home Opener with Friday Night Fireworks which will take place following all home Friday SEC games in 2017.
Sunday – FREE trading card sets for the first 1,000 fans (Set two of four). "Kids' Day at the Park" featuring inflatables and kids running the bases postgame.
Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for incredible fan experiences such as:
- Videoboard Message ($35)
- Diamond Girl for a Day ($29)
- Jr. Public Address Announcer ($10)
- "Play Ball" Announcer ($10)
- Deliver the Rosin Bag to Pitcher ($10)
- Second Base Delivery ($10)
GAME MANAGEMENT POLICY CHANGES
Ice Chest / Cooler check at all DNF gates
In adherence to Southeastern Conference and MSU Game Management Policy, all ice chests and ice coolers, regardless of size, will be checked at all gates prior to entry into Dudy Noble Field-Polk Dement Stadium this season. Individuals with prohibited items will be denied entry. Stadium gates will open two hours prior to first pitch, with servicing of suites and outfield rigs permitted on game day until 30 minutes prior to the gate opening time. All individuals must exit the stadium 30 minutes prior to gate opening and may reenter at gate opening after their tickets have been scanned.
Rightfield deck no standing / Safety lane
To provide for the safe management of the newly created deck space in right field, a 4' wide "No Standing / Safety Lane" has been marked on the right field deck. This visible, safe walkway will provide an unobstructed, free moving means for individuals and emergency personnel full access to travel along the right field deck length. At no time is it permissible to block, restrict or prevent individual movement or pedestrian traffic within and along the marked lane. Pedestrians are not permitted to stop or stand at any time within the marked lane.
FOLLOW THE DIAMOND DAWGS
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program 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."
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF
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OF/LHP
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LHP
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OF
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