First Pitch Baseball Celebration Saturday At MSU

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Anticipation is building for the start of the 2013 baseball season at Mississippi State. And MSU fans by the hundreds will help usher in the season for State's oldest sports team Saturday at the "First Pitch/Fan Day" baseball celebration on the MSU campus.

Former Mississippi State first baseman and current Washington Nationals utility player Tyler Moore is the guest speaker at this year's "First Pitch" event. Moore was drafted by the Nationals after starring for the Bulldogs in 2008. Last summer he became the 49^th Mississippi State alum to ascend to the Major League level of professional baseball.

The festivities begin at 11 a.m. Saturday with a hotdog/hamburger luncheon in the Griffis Boardroom and an autograph session with the 2013 Diamond Dogs in the adjoining Palmeiro Center. The First Pitch program, emceed by head baseball coach John Cohen, begins at 12:45 p.m. and includes an assortment of video presentations, including the fourth annual DOGSBY Awards.

Added to the "First Pitch/Fan Day" lineup is a 2:15 p.m. intrasquad scrimmage at at Dudy Noble Field.

Tickets for Saturday's event are $12 each and available through the MSU Athletic Ticket Office ( 662-325-2600) and at the Griffis Boardroom door.

MSU launches in 2013 season and a school-record 37-game home schedule Feb. 15-17 with a three-game series against the University of Portland Pilots. Friday's season-opener is set for a 4 p.m. start.