MSU starts the season at Southern Mississippi
Mention the town of Hattiesburg to Mississippi State baseball players and you’ll likely get a big grin.
In MSU’s last trip to the city back in 2017, the Bulldogs won the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional, toppling host Southern Miss in back-to-back games to clinch.
“It was a dominating experience and we came out on top,” State pitcher Konnor Pilkington said.
While last season’s trip to Hattiesburg put an exclamation point at the end of MSU’s season, this year, the trip southward is the opening salvo. The No. 23 Bulldogs and No. 21 Golden Eagles open their 2018 seasons today at Pete Taylor Park with a 4 p.m. game. The three-game series will continue with 1 p.m. games on Saturday and Sunday.
To say MSU is ready to get things going is an understatement.
“I just saw the other day where this series was voted one of the most intriguing matchups of opening weekend and obviously we’re extremely excited about going back down there and competing against those guys,” Mississippi State second-year
head coach Andy Cannizaro said. “They have a terrific program and a tremendous team. (Southern Miss head coach) Scott Berry has done a great job with Southern Miss over the years and their assistant coaches do a great job recruiting. They have great players all over the field and we know it’s going to be a tremendous battle for us, and at the same time, it’s one we’re really excited about and really looking forward to. We feel like we’re at that point where we’re ready to go play somebody and looking forward to the challenge, excited that we’re going to go down there and play somebody of their stature.”
The Bulldogs brings a new-look team to Hattiesburg than the one that found success there in last year’s postseason. Four first-year players are expected to be in MSU’s starting lineup today with freshmen Josh Hatcher (first base), Tanner Allen (third base) and Rowdey Jordan (left field) all in line for Opening Day starts. Junior college transfer catcher Marshall Gilbert is also expected to start. The rest of State’s Opening Day lineup will likely include Jake Mangum in centerfield, Elijah MacNamee in right, Luke Alexander at shortstop, Hunter Stovall at second base and Hunter Vansau as the designated hitter.
Even with all the newcomers in the lineup, maybe the biggest difference for this year’s bunch of Bulldogs is the depth of the pitching staff. A familiar face will take the mound today in the series opener in the form of State’s ace Pilkington. However, unlike last year when beyond Pilkington things were uncertain as MSU pieced together an injury-riddled staff, the rest of the weekend rotation seems settled, at least for now.
Highly-touted left-hander Ethan Small will start for the Bulldogs on Saturday. Senior righty Jacob Billingsley will get the nod on Sunday.
The bullpen is deeper too. There are still injuries as both Spencer Price (Tommy John surgery) and Graham Ashcraft (hip surgery) will miss the season. There are also discipline issues as well. A pair of guys are expected to miss the series this weekend after violating team rules. Cannizaro opted not to disclose exactly who those two individuals are.
Even with those situations, there are options now on the mound. That’s a luxury State didn’t have a season ago.
“We’re excited and looking forward to having a deeper pitching staff this year,” Cannizaro said. “I’m excited about the group (we’re taking to Hattiesburg) and excited on just the sheer number of guys that are going to be able to take the mound healthy, be able to get people out and do things that are going to help us win ball games.”
As the year wears on, things will likely change for MSU. Other injuries will likely crop up, some players will probably force their way into more playing time and others may prove to need more development. All that will shake itself out in the months to come.
For now though, the Bulldogs are simply focused on this weekend and getting things off and running. It has been a long fall and winter, but spring is basically here so it’s time to play ball.
“We’re just excited that college baseball season is finally here,” Cannizaro said. “We’re looking forward to getting out there and playing. I know our guys are chomping at the bit.”