No. 11 State Returns To SEC Play Thursday Against Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Having won four-straight Southeastern Conference series with a 10-2 record in their last 12 SEC games, No. 11 Mississippi State is back home to take on Alabama at Dudy Noble Field.

Ranked in all six top 25 baseball polls, the Diamond Dawgs (25-14, 10-5 SEC) look continue their hot stretch in league play against the Crimson Tide (15-22, 2-13 SEC) in a three-game weekend series.

The series will open on Thursday with a nationally televised matchup at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network, with Friday's (6:30 p.m.) and Saturday's (2 p.m.) games to air on SEC Network+ through WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.

Alabama leads the all-time series 213-191-4, while MSU holds a 106-81-2 advantage in games played in Starkville, with the series having begun in 1896. The Bulldogs aim for their second-straight series win over the Crimson Tide and first at Dudy Noble since 2013 as State dropped the series in 2015 when the two sides last met in Starkville.

VIDEO: Andy Cannizaro previews the series vs. Alabama

Game Notes | Live Stats

NEED TO KNOW

17 of MSU's 25 wins this season have been in comeback fashion.
The Diamond Dawgs are 13-4 in their last 17 games and during that span have outscored opponents 61-30 during the first four innings.
State has won 10 of their last 12 SEC games and four-straight SEC series (Tennessee, at Ole Miss, Kentucky, at South Carolina).
Since March 13, 2016, the Diamond Dawgs are 31-13 in SEC regular season play. State has also won 13 of its last 15 SEC regular season series dating back to 2016.
MSU is 13-3 when scoring in the first inning this season, 21-4 when having out-hit their opponents, 19-2 when leading after six innings and 16-3 when holding opponents to four or fewer runs.
State ranks second in the SEC in steals (54), triples (11) and home runs (39), while also ranking third in slugging percentage (.446) and total bases (585).
In Year One of the Andy Cannizaro Era, the Diamond Dawg offense is putting up numbers that are far ahead of the 2016 offense. Last season, State hit 29 home runs, 10 triples and recorded 33 steals through the first 35 games. Through 39 games this season, MSU has hit 37 home runs, 11 triples and stolen 54 bases.
Last weekend, Spencer Price notched a pair of saves, bringing his 2017 total to 13, which leads the SEC and all of Division I.
Three-time SEC Player of the Week Brent Rooker leads the SEC in batting average (.423), slugging (.937), on-base percentage (.520), hits (60), RBIs (58), doubles (19), home runs (16), total bases (133) and stolen bases (15).
On the season, Rooker averages 1.54 hits per game, 1.49 RBIs per game and 3.41 total bases per game, as well as .41 home runs per game and .49 doubles per game. (All figures lead the SEC)
Jake Mangum is third in the league in hits (55), while Ryan Gridley is sixth (53).
Rooker has 23 two-out RBIs this season and is hitting a staggering 5-for-9 (.566) with the bases loaded.
Konnor Pilkington (3-3, 3.00 ERA) made his ninth start of the season on April 14 and earned his sixth quality start, striking out seven over 6.0 innings and allowing only 2 earned runs for the win.
In all nine starts this season, Pilkington has thrown at least five strikeouts (72 total). His 72 strikeouts rank second in the SEC, as does the number of batters he has struck out looking (26).
Pilkington has also recorded a first-inning strikeout in all of his starts this season (16 total).
Having pitched for the first time since March 13, Jacob Billingsley made two starts last week (Tuesday and Sunday) for 0.00 ERA after having allowed no runs, earned or unearned, in 10.0 IP and struck out 12, along with having allowed just five hits and walked three for a .139 opponent batting average.

WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Thursday Forecast: High 87, Low 63 – Partly Sunny – 20% Chance of Rain
Friday Forecast: High 86, Low 63 – Scattered Thunderstorms – 50% Chance of Rain
Saturday Forecast: High 83, Low 50 – PM Thunderstorms – 50% Chance of Rain

LIVE VIDEO & TELEVISION
Thursday's game will be nationally televised on SEC Network, while the final two games on Friday and Saturday will be streamed live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.

Watch Thursday's Game | Watch Friday's Game | Watch Saturday's Game

LIVE AUDIO & RADIO
All three games this weekend will air live on the Mississippi State Baseball Radio Network. They will also be on TuneIn Radio and will be audio streamed live online at HailState.com/Plus (requires subscription).

PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday – MSU So. LHP Konnor Pilkington (3-3, 3.00 ERA) vs. UA So. LHP Dylan Duarte (2-3, 4.34 ERA)
Friday – MSU RFr. RHP Cole Gordon (2-0, 4.18 ERA) vs. UA Sr. RHP Nick Eicholtz (1-0, 5.15 ERA)
Saturday – MSU RJr. RHP Jacob Billingsley (1-0, 3.80 ERA) vs. UA 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
Thursday – Greek Night & Cook-Off
Friday – Friday Night Fireworks, which will take place following all home Friday SEC games in 2017.
Saturday – Military Appreciation Game and Kids Day at the Park
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."

No. 11 State Returns To SEC Play Thursday Against Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jacob Billingsley

Cole Gordon

Ryan Gridley

Jake Mangum

Konnor Pilkington

Spencer Price

Brent Rooker

Mississippi State University Athletics

No. 11 State Returns To SEC Play Thursday Against Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jacob Billingsley

Cole Gordon

Ryan Gridley

Jake Mangum

Konnor Pilkington

Spencer Price

Brent Rooker

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