Fri 6:30 p.m Sat 6:00 p.m. -- TELEVISED ON CST and CSS Sun 1:30 p.m. The Tigers make the 4 hours and 30 minute drive to the bustling metropolis of STARKVEGAS to face the Miss State Bulldogs It's hard to get any bigger than this. Aaron Fitt, Baseball America on Miss State: "I strongly believe that this is an Omaha team, and I will not be surprised at all if the Bulldogs win the national championship. This is a very deep, talented, experienced, balanced club. There is a plenty of reason for fans in Starkville to be excited about this season." This is the first time since SEC opening weekend in 2006 that a pairing of top 10-ranked teams have met at Dudy Noble Field, and Dudy Noble Field is one of the best-attended ballparks in the country... Miss State in Average Home Baseball Attendance 2012 -- #6 in NCAA 2011 -- NA 2010 -- #6 in NCAA 2009 -- #5 in NCAA 2008 -- #6 in NCAA 2007 -- #3 in NCAA 2006 -- #3 in NCAA 2005 -- #3 in NCAA
LSU is ranked #2/3/3/3/7 -- 3.6 average Miss St is ranked #8/10/11/13/14 -- 11.2 average Miss State was ranked #3/5/6/6/10 before losing their series last weekend to a 15-2 Central Arkansas team that is now ranked #25/26/30/30/NR Mississippi State is #1 in the SEC and #13 in the NCAA with a .324 team batting avg And Miss State is #1 in the SEC and #4 in the NCAA with a 1.84 team ERA
Mainieri: "Our players are very excited and ready to go to Starkville," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "Dudy Noble Field provides a great environment, and it's a challenging place to play, but I think we'll embrace the opportunity to compete against an excellent Mississippi State ball club. LSU-Mississippi State in my opinion has been one of the most important rivalries in the history of college baseball. The rivalry that began in the '80s with (former LSU coach) Skip Bertman and (former MSU coach) Ron Polk really shaped the game as we know it today."
Aaron Fitt, Baseball America on Miss State: "this is a very balanced, complete team...this is a veteran team...There might not be a deeper pitching staff in college baseball" Miss State coach: "We have so many pieces out of the bullpen," Cohen said. "What's crazy is the amount of appearances that our staff has...Whereas a lot of people are trying to hide the arms they're afraid of, we're going to keep throwing 15 guys out there."
in their preseason NCAA baseball preview, Baseball America had Miss State has a class above LSU: 65: Well-above-average. Legitimate championship contender. (North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Louisville, Mississippi State, Oregon State, South Carolina, North Carolina State.) 60: Above-average. Strong Omaha contender. (Stanford, Louisiana State, Kentucky, UCLA, Mississippi, Texas Christian, Oregon.) But, as Baseball America's Aaron Fitt says: "realistically, the competition is going to be fierce as usual in the SEC, and I think there are four teams in the West capable of finishing in any order (Arkansas, MSU, LSU, Ole Miss). For me, there's some separation after that group, but A&M and Auburn could be dangerous, too. This could be a 10-bid league." in their preaseason NCAA baseball preview, Baseball America ranked Miss State elite in 3 categories, while LSU elite in only one: 70 "Elite" MISS STATE --Defense: 70. This defense has a chance to be special. Slauter has excellent game-calling skills, toughness and intelligence behind the plate, and his catch-and-throw skills are solid. Every infielder returns from a unit that led the nation with 71 double plays. Frazier has fluid actions, sure hands and an accurate arm at short, and Pirtle's instincts and arm strength should make him a fine double-play partner. Rea moves well for his size at first, and Norris is a stalwart at third. All three outfielders have serious athleticism and range; Bradford and Renfroe also bring plus or better arms, and they combined for 15 outfield assists last year. --Bullpen: 70. Holder anchors a deep collection of quality arms in the bullpen. Holder pummels the zone with a 90-92 fastball, and his 80 mph power curveball has sharp 12-to-6 break. Jr. RHP Evan Mitchell can run his fastball up to 97 and has a swing-and-miss low-80s downer curve. Undersized Fr. RHP John Marc Shelly also has filthy stuff: a 93-95 mph fastball and mid-80s slider. So. RHPs Will Cox and Trevor Fitts are quality middle relievers who can reach the low 90s and have feel for pitching, while So. Ross Mitchell and Sr. Luis Pollorena offer different looks from the left side—but both excel at throwing strikes. --Experience/Intangibles: 70. Experience abounds in the lineup and the pitching staff, though the weekend starters behind Graveman still need to prove themselves. Plenty of holdovers remain from the 2011 MSU team that reached the brink of the CWS, and the Bulldogs proved their mettle by overcoming injuries last year and winning the SEC tournament. LSU --Speed: 70. The additions of McMullen, Laird and Fr. OF Andrew Stevenson change the complexion of LSU's lineup, because all three have premium speed and tailor their games around putting it to good use. Jones, one of the best athletes in college baseball, also has plus to plus-plus speed, and Sciambra is a slightly above-average runner. Bregman and Rhymes are fringe-average runners with good instincts.
Katz on radio now: "this is going to be great" "this is going to be a battle" "we're going to go in there and do our job" He sounds VERY calm, a lot less nervous, excited than i am right now
Miss State starting pitcher tonight: LHP Jacob Lindgren 0.96 ERA 22 K's, 4 walks in 18.2 innkngs Holding opponent batters to a .167 batting avg Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of Major League Baseball's 2011 Draft.
Bot 1 Aaron Nola Frazier fly out Bradford single Renfroe 2-run home run, home runs in 3 straight games for him, he's #3 in SEC in home runs and set the single season home run record in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League last summer. He has a whooping .873 slugging pct this season, .436 batting avg. He was Drafted by the Red Sox out of high school 2-0 Bulldogs Detz single Dunn goes to mound to have a talk with Nola Slauter goes 2-2, Nola K's him! Henderson infield single Rea goes 2-2 and lines out Nola on pace to give up 36 hits and 18 runs today
