BULLDOG BITS
Baseball
On the eve of the grand opening of the new Dudy Noble Field, Mississippi State Athletics unveiled its broadcast teams for the exciting 2019 baseball season on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield IMG College, as well as SEC Network+.
Jim Ellis, “Voice of the Diamond Dawgs,” begins his 41st season on the network and will broadcast from the new “Jim Ellis Radio Suite.” Ellis, who started calling Diamond Dawgs games in 1979, will once again team with former MSU pitcher and 11-year Major Leaguer Jay Powell.
New to the Mississippi State Sports Network team this year on select games will be former Bulldog lefty Ross Mitchell. Mitchell posted a career 27-9 record on the mound with a 2.41 ERA, highlighted by a brilliant sophomore campaign in which he helped lead the Diamond Dawgs to the 2013 College World Series Championship Series.
In addition to affiliates across the state, live audio of MSU baseball is available on Hailstate.com/plus and via the Tune In app.
MSU’S SEC Network+ broadcast crew will consist of play-by-play voice Bart Gregory, as well as analysts Matt Wyatt and Charlie Winfield throughout the season. Fans can watch the season-opening series on SEC Network+ via Watchespn.com or the ESPN app.
More information on opening weekend at Dudy Noble Field is available at Hailstate.com/openingweekend.
Men’s Golf
Just one day after his selection to the prestigious Ben Hogan Award Watch List, Mississippi State men’s golf junior Peng Pichaikool has received more national attention.
The Arnold Palmer Cup announced Thursday that Pichaikool is now the third-ranked player on its International Team. Pichaikool was fourth in the initial, which came out in December.
The top six players in the spring’s final ranking from both the International and United States Teams will receive automatic bids to play in the Arnold Palmer Cup, set for June 7-9, 2019, at the Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas.
The junior from Thailand is one of two Southeastern Conference golfers in the top six of either ranking, and the only Southeastern Conference player within the international top six. Thursday’s update also is Pichaikool’s best rating in the Arnold Palmer Cup rankings as he’s been ranked four times over the last two seasons.
Pichaikool played in two events, both independently, since his first recognition from the Arnold Palmer Cup. In late December, he led his native Thailand to a victory in the Putra Cup, during which he shot a field-best 8-under-par, then, in early February, Pichaikool ushered in the new year with a tied-for-ninth placement at the Jones Cup Invitational against a talented field.
Aside from the Arnold Palmer Cup, Pichaikool is ranked 14th among all college golfers by Golfstat.com, 19th by Golfweek and he sits 63rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, all three of which are improvements this week. Pichaikool also was selected to the Haskins Award’s most recent watch list and earned a bid to the Sun Bowl Allamerica Golf Classic in November 2019.
Pichaikool and the Mississippi State men’s golf team begin their spring campaign Saturday morning, as they compete in the Florida Gators Invitational.
Men’s Tennis
Riding a six-match winning streak to open a season for the first time since 2014, the No. 3 Mississippi State men’s tennis team is set for its second appearance in three seasons at the 2019 ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
The second-seeded Bulldogs (6-0) are making their 12th total appearance in the event all-time and open up action at 9 a.m. today against No. 15 TCU (4-2) at the Midtown Athletic Club in Chicago, Illinois. All 16 teams