Mississippi State will return to Dudy Noble Field today for Game One of a Southeastern conference weekend series against the LSU Tigers, MSU’s first home series since taking two of three games from the Kentucky Wildcats two weeks ago during Super Bulldog Weekend.The Bulldogs (24-8, 8-5 SEC) return home from a nine-game road stint 5-1 with three rainouts.
“Amazingly this is the third time in three years that at least one game against Tennessee has been rained out,” MSU head coach Ron Polk said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to find the time to make up some of those games before the end of the season.”
MSU is currently in sole possession of second place in the SEC West, sitting two games behind the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Tigers (21-17-1, 6-8-1 SEC) are 4.5 games back of the Hogs and have only the Auburn Tigers standing between them and last place in the division.
“For me this will be the first time I’ve been to Starkville since I was at Notre Dame in 2000 and 2003,” LSU head coach Paul Mainieri said. “I’m really looking forward to going back to Starkville and renewing some old acquaintances. One thing I’m not looking forward to, though, is playing the Bulldogs.”
MSU hopes to use the support of the home crowd to catapult its offense into an even higher gear. The Bulldogs are already hitting an SEC-leading .340 at the plate as a team.
LSU comes into the weekend hitting a league-worst .256.
I expect nice crowds this weekend,” Polk said. “It’s always been a great series between the Bulldogs and Tigers.”
LSU is also dead last in the conference in hits, doubles and on-base percentage.
The Tigers are speedy around the base paths, though, once they get on. LSU has stolen 55 bases this season, fourth-highest in the conference, on 71 attempts.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, have attempted a league-low 36 steals, 24 of them successful.
The biggest question mark for MSU coming into the series is the depth and effectiveness of its pitching staff.
The Bulldogs enter the series with the highest ERA (5.71) in the league. LSU ranks only two spots higher at No. 10 (4.92 ERA).
Chad Crosswhite (4-1) is expected to start tonight for the Bulldogs, filling in for the injured Aaron Weatherford.
Junior left-hander Justin Pigott (3-3) will take the mound on Saturday for MSU, with senior Josh Johnson (2-2) starting on Sunday.