Mississippi State, ranked 17th in NCAA Division I baseball, will play a three-game series at South Carolina this weekend. The Bulldogs aim to boost their SEC record after a recent rough patch, which included losing six of eight games. They snapped their skid with a midweek win against Samford, providing a momentum boost, according to team sources.
The series begins Friday at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+. The schedule continues Saturday at noon and concludes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. All games are scheduled for Founders Park in Columbia, South Carolina.
Mississippi State (27-10, 7-8 SEC) brings a potent offense into the matchup. The team has a .319 batting average, a .542 slugging percentage, and a .422 on-base percentage. They have hit 88 doubles, the most in the conference, along with 60 home runs and nearly 200 walks. All-American third baseman Ace Reese leads the SEC in doubles and is a key figure in the lineup, which includes veterans Noah Sullivan, Gehrig Frei, and Bryce Chance, according to team reports.
On the mound, the Bulldogs boast a 3.60 ERA and rank highly nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts per nine innings. Sophomore left-hander Tomas Valincius will start Friday’s game. He has a 6-1 record, a 1.53 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 53 innings this spring. Saturday’s starter is right-hander Duke Stone, who is 5-1 with 58 strikeouts. Charlie Foster is expected to close out the series on Sunday.
South Carolina (19-19, 15-9 SEC) will counter with experienced right-handers Brandon Stone and Amp Phillips, both of whom have posted strong numbers. Brandon Stone is 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA and 43 strikeouts, while Phillips is 3-4 with a 2.17 ERA and 56 strikeouts. The Gamecocks have not yet announced a starter for Sunday’s game. The all-time series is closely contested, with South Carolina leading 43-40. Mississippi State recently won a series in Starkville last season, according to team records.
Fans can find more information at www.HailState.com and follow the team on social media under the handle ‘HailStateBB.’
