Bulldogs plan to make best of a potential wet regional

One weather forecast for Hattiesburg predicts there will be an 80 percent chance of rain on Friday.

If that holds true, part of opening day for the Hattiesburg Regional will likely be wet.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are scheduled to play South Alabama in the second game of the day at 6 p.m. on Friday, while

Southern Mississippi and Illinois-Chicago play first at 1 p.m.

Whether those games start on time or even played at all remains to be seen.

MSU coach Andy Cannizaro understands that the weather may become a factor at some point this weekend and is ready to make the best of the situation.

“The weather always dominates this time of year,” Cannizaro said. “It's something you plan accordingly to. There is nobody who can

control it. Nobody knows what in the world is going to happen.”

Cannizaro doesn't claim to be a weather man. He is a baseball coach.

Still, he knows the chances of there being rain in Hattiesburg over the next few days are pretty good.

“Is it going to rain this weekend? Probably,” Cannizaro said. “Does it rain most weekends this time of year? Absolutely. This is where we live. We live in the deep South. It rains every afternoon about 4 o'clock in the summertime. You just get used to it and roll with the punches.”

Last week's experience in Hoover, Alabama, and the Southeastern Conference Tournament may actually help the Bulldogs in this situation.

MSU was supposed to open the SEC Tournament on Tuesday night against Georgia, but because of delays due to extra innings and rain, the game was pushed back to Wednesday morning.

Cannizaro said those kind of scenarios are something every team faces this time of the year in the postseason.

“The biggest thing is just having your guys ready to play,” Cannizaro said. “It doesn't necessarily

mean you are going to start on time. Any time you play tournament baseball, the schedule may say one thing, but it never starts on time. Whether it's a half hour later, four or five hours later or if it's the next day, we are going to do everything we can to get our guys ready to play when the umpire says play ball.”

If the weather cooperates today, there will be an open practice for the Bulldogs at USM's Pete Taylor Park that begins at 11:30 a.m.

It was also announced on Wednesday afternoon that Cole Gordon (2-2, 4.59 ERA) would start on the mound for MSU Friday against South Alabama.

(Photo by Craig Jackson, for Starkville Daily News) As it did here in Hoover, Alabama, last week during the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament, Mississippi State could be faced with more weather problems during this weekend's Hattiesburg Regional.