Mississippi State, ranked No. 4, will try to complete an undefeated nine-game homestand Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs host Austin Peay at 4 p.m., with coverage on SEC Network+.
MSU is 8-0 this season, matching its best start since 2015 when it opened with 13 straight wins. The Bulldogs swept Hofstra and Delaware in weekend series and also defeated Troy and Alcorn State midweek, according to the university.
Redshirt freshman William Kirk will make his first career start on the mound for MSU. He has appeared twice in relief this season, posting a 1-0 record with a 6.75 ERA over four innings, with no walks and four strikeouts, per school officials. Austin Peay counters with Chance Cox, a redshirt senior who started against UNLV earlier this season, allowing five runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Mississippi State enters the game hitting .341 as a team, with eight home runs and an average of 9.6 runs per game. The Bulldogs lead the Southeastern Conference and rank third nationally with 26 doubles. They have successfully stolen 15 of 19 bases and hold a .986 fielding percentage. All-American third baseman Ace Reese is batting .500 with seven doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBIs, with an OPS of 1.504, according to school statistics.
The Bulldogs’ pitching staff boasts a 2.61 ERA, ranking in the top 10 nationally, with 101 strikeouts and 22 walks over 69 innings. They have recorded two shutouts and maintain a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.59. Duke Stone leads the team with 16 strikeouts, and eight pitchers have earned a perfect ERA. Pither Tyler Pitzer, Maddox Webb, Brendan Sweeney, and Ben Davis each have one save.
Austin Peay enters with a 4-3 record after winning a series against Eastern Michigan. The Governors won 8-7 in 11 innings Saturday and 6-1 on Sunday. They are batting .238 with two home runs and averaging seven runs per game. The team has stolen 14 bases in 17 attempts and has a .956 fielding percentage, according to school reports. Redshirt junior Paris Pridgen is batting .409 and has seven stolen bases in eight attempts. Ray Velazquez and Cole Johnson each have homered for the Governors, who have a 5.77 team ERA with 72 strikeouts and 40 walks in 64 innings, per team stats.
Mississippi State leads the all-time series with Austin Peay 5-4. The Governors won two midweek games in Starkville in 2024, snapping a streak of MSU dominance. Fans can find the latest news and updates on the team at www.HailState.com or follow ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
