After successfully conquering midweek opponent South Alabama, sweeping the Jaguars 10-6 and 2-1, the Mississippi State Bulldogs must now return their attention to the SEC and the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Wildcats enter this weekend’s three-game series in Starkville as the last place team in the SEC’s eastern division, as well as overall. The Cats are 19-17, but have posted an abysmal 2-12 SEC record since play began in March.
The Bulldogs are looking to avenge last weekend’s collapse at Georgia, where the Bulldogs were out-slugged, losing two of three.
However, Kentucky’s pitching staff sports the league’s highest ERA, so the Bulldog bats figure to be back to full swing. In the recent couplet of games against South Alabama, Brad Corley and Brad Jones combined for eleven hits and five RBI.
However, the MSU offensive attack will again be without the services of its leading hitter, Joseph Hunter, who is out with a fractured thumb. Hunter also leads the team in sacrifices and stolen bases.
Kentucky is paced offensively by Michael Bertram, a .366 hitter who ranks in the top ten in the SEC in slugging percentage, and John Shelby, who leads the team with 37 RBI and 15 stolen bases.
Tonight’s game will pit both teams’ top starting pitchers. For the Bulldogs, 2-4 starter Alan Johnson will take the mound, attempting to improve on his record and his 3.28 ERA.
His opponent, right-hander Kalen Gibson, will be looking for his sixth win of the campaign, despite a 5.01 ERA.
The series is a must win for the Bulldogs in order to keep pace in the ultra-competitive SEC west.
MSU is currently in fourth place with a 7-7 conference record, but trails division leading Alabama by only a game and a half.