Mississippi State, No. 6, Faces No. 18 Ole Miss in Key SEC Series

OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi State, ranked sixth nationally, heads to Oxford to face No. 18 Ole Miss in a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Swayze Field. The Bulldogs come into the matchup with a five-game winning streak.

MSU holds a 21-4 overall record and is 4-2 in SEC play. Ole Miss enters with a 19-6 record and a 3-3 conference mark. The Bulldogs have been one of the most complete teams in the country, batting .347 with a .452 on-base percentage and 39 home runs this season, according to MSU athletics.

Ole Miss has also displayed power, with 46 home runs and a .500 slugging percentage. Mississippi State’s offense is led by graduate outfielder Bryce Chance, who boasts a .452 batting average — the best in the SEC — and has struck out only three times this season. Infielder Ace Reese leads the team with seven home runs and 34 RBIs.

MSU’s pitching staff is expected to feature left-hander Charlie Foster on Friday, followed by sophomore Tomas Valincius on Saturday and right-hander Duke Stone on Sunday. Valincius is 5-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Ole Miss plans to start left-hander Hunter Elliott in the series opener, with right-hander Hudson Calhoun likely to follow on Saturday. The series finale starter has not been announced.

The Bulldogs, who have won 19 straight home games at Dudy Noble Field, are 1-3 in true road games this season but have demonstrated the ability to compete against top teams. The series marks an opportunity for Mississippi State to prove itself away from Starkville. Historically, MSU leads the all-time series 268-213-5 and has won the last two meetings.

Fans can follow updates on the series at www.HailState.com or via social media under the handle ‘HailStateBB.’

Source: Original Article