Tickets for Southern Miss series for MSU fans could cost bundle
The Mississippi State-Southern Miss baseball series is still a month away, but MSU fans are already complaining on social media about the cost of tickets for games in Hattiesburg.
USM's single-game tickets won't go on sale until Feb. 1, but season ticket holders have already begun to put some of their seats up for bid on online ticket exchanges such as StubHub.com and VividSeats.com.
If you want to go ahead and secure single-game tickets for the Feb. 16 opener in Hattiesburg via an online ticket exchange, be prepared to open your wallet.
The cheapest single-game ticket you can purchase on StubHub for the Feb. 16 opener at Pete Taylor Park is currently $105. That price jumps to $156 on Saturday and sits at $130 for the series finale on Sunday.
The most expensive tickets for the Feb. 16 game are two for $250 each in Section H box seating. Those two seats provide a nice view just to the left of home plate.
On Saturday, those same two seats are worth $299 a pop. They drop back to $250 on Sunday.
On VividSeats.com, ticket prices range from $97-$231 for the season opener in Hattiesburg.
If you want to wait and buy your singlegame tickets for the MSU-USM series after they become available on Feb. 1, chairback, box and bleacher seating will all cost $20. General admission will be $15.
Due to the anticipated large crowd for the MSU series, USM has designated all grandstand seating as reserved. General admission seating will be standing room only and include the cement terrace down the right field line.
USM season tickets for box or chairback seating at Pete Taylor Park are $270. General admission season tickets are worth $200. Passionate about baseball
In most states, college baseball serves as an afterthought when compared to football and basketball.
In Mississippi, there's a strong argument to be made that baseball eclipses basketball as the second-most popular sport at Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss. MSU and Ole Miss are always in the hunt in the SEC while USM rates as one of the better nonpower conference programs.
There's little question that MSU-USM will serve as the nation's premiere series to open the 2018 college baseball season considering the long-standing rivalry between the schools and the dramatic end to the 2017 campaign. MSU needed to beat the Golden Eagles twice on the final day of the Hattiesburg Regional to advance to the next round. The Bulldogs did just that — 8-1 and 8-6.
USM held a 5-1 lead after four innings in the decisive contest, but watched that lead evaporate in the early hours of the morning as the Bulldogs advanced to take on LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional.
It was an intense night of baseball in Hattiesburg and the fact that USM head coach Scott Berry will have to sit out the first two games of the MSU series is a product of that. He was ejected in the final game of the regional for arguing with umpires, causing a two-game suspension.
Assistant Chad Caillet will fill in for Berry on Feb. 16 and 17 against MSU.
Both Mississippi State and USM are again expected to contend for conference titles this season.
Mississippi State will feature one of the nation's best left-handed pitchers in ace Konnor Pilkington, a product of East Central who was 8-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 starts last year.
USM will have a loaded lineup led by sophomore outfielder Matt Wallner, who could eventually join Pilkington as a potential MLB first-round selection.
With Pilkington likely taking the hill for the Feb. 16 opener, USM will have its hands full considering many of its top hitters swing from the left side of the plate.
Wallner, second baseman Matthew Guidry, outfielder Mason Irby, third baseman Luke Reynolds and outfielder/first baseman Hunter Slater are all projected starters for USM and strong left-handed bats.