MSU is 8-2 in its last 10 games.
MSU Rises In Polls Before Midweek Matchup With MVSU
April 10, 2017 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a strong Super Bulldog Weekend showing, No. 13 Mississippi State (22-12) will close out a six-game homestand on Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs will take on Mississippi Valley State (4-21) at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Fresh off a series win over then-No. 8 Kentucky, MSU has now won three-straight Southeastern Conference series and eight of its last nine league games, with five of those wins having come over top 20 teams.
After receiving rankings in several top 25 polls last week, State is now in all six top 25 polls this week ranging from No. 13 to No. 22 (No. 13 – Baseball America, No. 15 – Collegiate Baseball, No. 20 – Perfect Game, No. 21 – D1 Baseball, NCBWA and USA Today Coaches).
Midseason All-American Brent Rooker also headlined the week as he notched a second-consecutive SEC Player of the Week honor for his third of the season. The junior hit .625 (10-for-16) with nine runs scored, one double, six home runs, 13 RBIs and five walks in addition to being hit by pitch three times. During the five-game week, Rooker notched 29 total bases for a 1.813 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage.
MSU leads the all-time series with MVSU, 25-0 with all of those games having come in Starkville. The two sides last met on March 22, 2016 as the Bulldogs claimed a 16-1 victory on 19 hits.
For all midweek games this season, general admission tickets will be sold for $2. Hot dogs will also be available for $2 at concessions. Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for unique fan experiences.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets
NEED TO KNOW
WEATHER
Tuesday – High 79, Low 57 – PM Thunderstorms – 50% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
Tuesday's game will be streamed live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Watch Tuesday's Game
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
Tuesday's tilt will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. The game can also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription), as well as on TuneIn Radio.
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.
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."
Fresh off a series win over then-No. 8 Kentucky, MSU has now won three-straight Southeastern Conference series and eight of its last nine league games, with five of those wins having come over top 20 teams.
After receiving rankings in several top 25 polls last week, State is now in all six top 25 polls this week ranging from No. 13 to No. 22 (No. 13 – Baseball America, No. 15 – Collegiate Baseball, No. 20 – Perfect Game, No. 21 – D1 Baseball, NCBWA and USA Today Coaches).
Midseason All-American Brent Rooker also headlined the week as he notched a second-consecutive SEC Player of the Week honor for his third of the season. The junior hit .625 (10-for-16) with nine runs scored, one double, six home runs, 13 RBIs and five walks in addition to being hit by pitch three times. During the five-game week, Rooker notched 29 total bases for a 1.813 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage.
MSU leads the all-time series with MVSU, 25-0 with all of those games having come in Starkville. The two sides last met on March 22, 2016 as the Bulldogs claimed a 16-1 victory on 19 hits.
For all midweek games this season, general admission tickets will be sold for $2. Hot dogs will also be available for $2 at concessions. Fans can also visit HailState.com/memories for unique fan experiences.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets
NEED TO KNOW
- 16 of MSU's 22 wins this season have come in comeback fashion.
- State has won eight of their last nine SEC games.
- This week, MSU notched its third straight SEC series, while also having handed No. 8 Kentucky its first SEC series loss of 2017.
- MSU is 12-3 when scoring in the first inning this season and 20-4 when having out-hit their opponent.
- State ranks first in the SEC in steals (50) and total bases (538), while ranking second in batting average (.297), slugging percentage (.464), hits (345), triples (11) and home runs (37).
- In SEC play, MSU leads the league in batting avgerage (.301), slugging percentage (.474), hits (120), triples (5) & total bases (189).
- The Bulldogs offense scored 10 runs in consecutive nights, the first time since May 14-15, 2016 at Auburn.
- On Sunday, Spencer Price notched his SEC-best 10th save of the season.
- Three-time SEC Player of the Week Brent Rooker leads the SEC in batting average (.448), slugging (1.008), on-base percentage (.548), hits (56), RBIs (56), doubles (19), home runs (15), total bases (126) and stolen bases (14).
- 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year Jake Mangum is first in the SEC in runs scored (40) and hit by pitch (12), along with ranking second in batting average (.347) and hits (52).
- This week, Rooker extended his career-high reached-base streak to 21 games.
- Rooker hit three home runs Saturday night, including his first career grand slam. He's the first MSU player to hit as many since Ryan Duffy against Jackson State April 6, 2010. He did so in consecutive at-bats.
- It was his third multi-HR game of the season and his sixth of his career, and he now has 15 home runs this season.
- Rooker collected six RBIs for his fifth 5+ RBI game of the season. He now has 56 RBIs for 2017, which eclipses his total from last season (54) that led the SEC Championship team.
- Konnor Pilkington made his eighth start of the season on Friday and earned his fifth quality start, striking out six over 6.2 innings and allowing only 2 earned runs.
- In all eight starts this, Pilkington has thrown at least five strikeouts (65 total).
- On Sunday, Harrison Bragg hit his first career home run and the first pinch-hit home run since Luke Alexander did it last season on April 3 against Memphis. Bragg collected a career-high three RBI with the dinger, previously set at one.
- In the seventh inning Friday, Cody Brown tied up the game at 2-2 with an inside-the-park home run to left field. It was the first MSU inside-the-park home run since Jack Kruger on June 3, 2016 against Southeast Missouri.
- Brown went yard again on Saturday with a solo-HR in the second inning, giving him home runs in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
- On Friday, Hunter Stovall returned to the Mississippi State lineup for the first since March 17.
WEATHER
Tuesday – High 79, Low 57 – PM Thunderstorms – 50% Chance of Rain
LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
Tuesday's game will be streamed live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Watch Tuesday's Game
LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
Tuesday's tilt will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. The game can also be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription), as well as on TuneIn Radio.
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.
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
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