American college baseball season
The 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented the Mississippi State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball season . The Bulldogs played their home games at Dudy Noble Field . Due to construction of the new Dudy Noble Field, the first home game was not played until March 6, to give construction crews time to finish the bottom seating of the stadium. The new Dudy Noble Field in its entirety was not completed until the 2019 season.
2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff Andy Cannizaro – Head Coach (first 3 games) – 2nd yearGary Henderson – Pitching Coach – 2nd year; Interim Head Coach (starting game 4)Jake Gautreau – Assistant Coach – 1st year Mike Brown – Coordinator of Camps/Volunteer Assistant – 2nd year A.J. Gaura – Coordinator of Baseball Player Development – 1st year Trevor Fitts – Coordinator of Baseball Operations – 1st year Justin Aguiar – Coordinator of Video & Analytics - 1st year
Schedule and results [ edit ] 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball game log Regular season (31–24) February (3–5) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC record Feb. 16 at #25 Southern Miss #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 0–11Nick Sandlin (1–0)Konnor Pilkington (0–1)none 4,948 0–1 – Feb. 17 at #25 Southern Miss #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 4–7Jarod Wright (1–0) Ethan Small (0–1)none 4,988 0–2 – Feb. 18 at #25 Southern Miss #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 2–5Jacob Weirich (1–0) Zach Neff (0–1) Matt Wallner (1)4,970 0–3 – Feb. 21 at Jackson State Braddy Field • Jackson, MS W 12–1JP France (1–0) Mark Watson (0–1) none 347 1–3 – Feb. 23 vs. UC Santa Barbara Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 7–4Konnor Pilkington (1–1) Jack Dashwood (0–1) Blake Smith (1) 1,761 2–3 – Feb. 24 vs. Nicholls State Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 14–4Ethan Small (1–1) Parker White (0–1) Denver McQuary (1) 1,134 3–3 – Feb. 25 at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX L 3–6Chad Romere (1–0) Zach Neff (0–2) Chris Cooper (2) 1,898 3–4 – Feb. 26 at Texas Rio Grande Valley UTRGV Baseball Stadium • Edinburg, TX Canceled in bottom 4th, heavy fog Feb. 28 at McNeese State Cowboy Diamond • Lake Charles, LA L 3–6Tyler Wesley (1–1) Keegan James (0–1) Grant Anderson (1) 1,843 3–5 –
March (11–10) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC record Mar. 2 vs. Louisiana Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 3–1Cole Gordon (1–0) Brock Batty (2–1) none 4,972 4–5 – Mar. 3 vs. Houston Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 3–2 12 Blake Smith (1–0) Brayson Hurdsman (0–1) none 6,796 5–5 – Mar. 4 vs. Sam Houston State Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 4–1Jacob Billingsley (1–0) Seth Ballew (0–1) Cole Gordon (1) 5,414 6–5 – Mar. 6 New Mexico State Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 9–1Cole Marsh (1–0) Brock Whittlesey (1–3) Denver McQuary (2) SECN+ 7,179 7–5 – Mar. 7 New Mexico State Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–0Zach Neff (1–2) Alex Pinedo (0–1) none SECN+ 5,117 8–5 – Mar. 9 Utah Valley (DH-1) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–2 11 Fabian Palacios (1–0) Cole Gordon (1–1) Drew Hill (3) SECN+ 5,468 8–6 – Mar. 9 Utah Valley (DH-2) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–2Keegan James (1–1) Ondrej Sebek (0–1) Blake Smith (2) SECN+ 5,468 9–6 – Mar. 10 Utah Valley Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Moved to 3/9, impending weather Mar. 11 Utah Valley Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3Jacob Billingsley (2–0) Walker Ramsey (1–3) JP France (1) SECN+ 4,727 10–6 – Mar. 14 vs. Southeastern Louisiana MGM Park • Biloxi, MS L 5–11Corey Gaconi (1–0) Keegan James (1–2) none 3,318 10–7 – Mar. 16 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 0–5Drake Fellows (3–0) Konnor Pilkington (1–2) Zach King (1) SECN 4,860 10–8 0–1 Mar. 17 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–10Patrick Raby (2–2) Ethan Small (1–2) none SECN+ 6,218 10–9 0–2 Mar. 18 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–4Mason Hickman (4–0) Jacob Billingsley (2–1) Tyler Brown (2) SECN+ 4,569 10–10 0–3 Mar. 20 Alcorn State Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 17–1Zach Neff (2–2) Regynold Johnson (0–1) none SECN+ 4,295 11–10 – Mar. 21 Texas Southern Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–6Cole Gordon (2–1) Peyton Schneider (0–5) none SECN+ 4,713 12–10 – Mar. 23 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO L 1–4T. J. Sikkema (2–0)Konnor Pilkington (1–3) Andy Toelken (1) SECN+ 406 12–11 0–4 Mar. 24 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO W 3–1 15 Blake Smith (2–0) Tyler LaPlante (3–1) none SECN+ 406 13–11 1–4 Mar. 25 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO L 4–5 11 Andy Toelken (3–2) JP France (1–1) none SECN+ 496 13–12 1–5 Mar. 27 at Nicholls State Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4–7Bryan Taylor (2–3) Denver McQuary (0–1) none 674 13–13 – Mar. 29 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 1–10Zack Hess (4–3) Konnor Pilkington (1–4) none SECN 10,532 13–14 1–6 Mar. 30 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA W 4–1Ethan Small (2–2) Caleb Gilbert (3–2) Cole Gordon (2) SECN+ 11,132 14–14 2–6 Mar. 31 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 0–4Ma'Khail Hilliard (6–1) Jacob Billingsley (2–2) Nick Bush (1) SECN+ 11,133 14–15 2–7
April (10–6) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC record April 4 Southern Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–0Riley Self (1–0) John Guienze (0–2) none SECN+ 4,886 15–15 – April 6 #5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Postponed to 4/7, inclement weather April 7 #5 Ole Miss (DH-1) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–3Konnor Pilkington (2–4) Brady Feigl (6–2) none SECN+ 6,168 16–15 3–7 April 7 #5 Ole Miss (DH-2) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–6Ryan Rolison (4–3)Ethan Small (2–3) none SECN+ 6,168 16–16 3–8 April 8 #5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–5 11 Blake Smith (3–0) Will Stokes (1–1) none SECN+ 6,059 17–16 4–8 April 11 at Alabama State Wheeler–Watkins Baseball Complex • Montgomery, AL W 15–4Denver McQuary (1–1) Ivanniel Vazquez (1–4) none 1,502 18–16 – April 13 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 1–2Casey Mize (7–1)Konnor Pilkington (2–5) none SECN 3,831 18–17 4–9 April 14 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 7–2Ethan Small (3–3) Davis Daniel (2–3) none SECN+ 4,045 19–17 5–9 April 15 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 5–7Cody Greenhill (2–1) Cole Gordon (2–2) none SECN+ 2,904 19–18 5–10 April 18 vs. Memphis AutoZone Park • Memphis, TN L 1–6Connor Alexander (2–2) Denver McQuary (1–2) Hunter Smith (2) 3,027 19–19 – April 20 #6 Arkansas Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–5JP France (2–1) Matt Cronin (2–1) none SECN+ 7,303 20–19 6–10 April 21 #6 Arkansas (DH-1) Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3Ethan Small (4–3) Kacey Murphy (5–3) Blake Smith (3) SECN+ 10,147 21–19 7–10 April 21 #6 Arkansas (DH-2) Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–5Jacob Billingsley (3–2) Isaiah Campbell (3–4) Zach Neff (1) SECN+ 10,147 22–19 8–10 April 22 #6 Arkansas Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Moved to 4/21, impending weather April 24 vs. #8 Ole Miss Governor's Cup Trustmark Park • Pearl, MS W 7–6Cole Gordon (3–2) Parker Caracci (2–2) none SECN 8,515 23–19 – April 27 #22 Texas A&M Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–6Kaylor Chafin (3–0) JP France (2–2) Nolan Hoffman (8) SECN+ 5,784 23–20 8–11 April 28 #22 Texas A&M Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–6Ethan Small (5–3) John Doxakis (6–2) Zach Neff (2) SECN+ 7,017 24–20 9–11 April 29 #22 Texas A&M Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 4–7Stephen Kolek (4–4) Jacob Billingsley (3–3) Nolan Hoffman (9) SECN 5,555 24–21 9–12
May (7–3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC record May 4 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 14–12 10 Zach Neff (3–2) Deacon Medders (0–3) none SECN+ 3,411 25–21 10–12 May 5 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 3–4 10 Sam Gardner (2–2) Cole Gordon (3–3) none SECN+ 4,631 25–22 10–13 May 6 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 6–4JP France (3–2) Kyle Cameron (1–2) none ESPNU 4,637 26–22 11–13 May 9 vs. Troy Hoover Metropolitan Stadium • Hoover, AL W 9–8 10 Riley Self (2–0) CJ Carter (6–4) none 2,562 27–22 – May 11 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY L 6–9Sean Hjelle (7–4)Konnor Pilkington (2–6) Chris Machamer (10) ESPNU 4,303 27–23 11–14 May 12 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY L 1–4Jimmy Ramsey (3–1) JP France (3–3) none SECN 4,416 27–24 11–15 May 13 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY W 18–8Jacob Billingsley (4–3) Brad Schaenzer (1–2) none SECN 4,096 28–24 12–15 May 17 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–3Riley Self (3–0) Michael Byrne (2–1) none SECN+ 5,100 29–24 13–15 May 18 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–4JP France (4–3) Jack Leftwich (4–4) none ESPNU 5,901 30–24 14–15 May 19 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–6Blake Smith (1–0) Jackson Kowar (9–3)Cole Gordon (3) ESPNU 6,291 31–24 15–15
Post-season (8–5) NCAA Tallahassee Regional Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record NCAAT record June 1 vs. (3) Oklahoma (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL L 10–20Kyle Tyler (6–2) JP France (4–5) none ESPNU 3,238 31–26 0–1 June 2 at (1) #15 Florida State (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 3–2Riley Self (4–0) Drew Parrish (5–1) none ESPN2 3,319 32–26 1–1 June 3 vs. (4) Samford (DH-1) (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 9–8Jacob Billingsley (5–3) Wyatt Burns (5–4) JP France (2) ESPN2 3,196 33–26 2–1 June 3 vs. (3) Oklahoma (DH-2) (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 13–5Cole Gordon (4–3) Devon Perez (5–6) none ESPNU 3,109 34–26 3–1 June 4 vs. (3) Oklahoma (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 8–1JP France (5–5) Levi Prater (3–4) Riley Self (1) ESPN2 3,103 35–26 4–1
NCAA Nashville Super Regional Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record NCAAT record June 8 at #15 Vanderbilt #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN W 10–8Riley Self (5–0) Zach King (1–4) none ESPN2 3,626 36–26 5–1 June 9 at #15 Vanderbilt #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN L 3–4Chandler Day (2–1) Zach Neff (3–3) none ESPN 3,626 36–27 5–2 June 10 at #15 Vanderbilt #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN W 10–6 11 Denver McQuary (2–2) Tyler Brown (1–5) none ESPN2 3,626 37–27 6–2
College World Series Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record CWS record June 16 vs. #7 Washington #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE W 1–0Zach Neff (4–3 )Alex Hardy (5–3) none ESPN 24,758 38–27 1–0 June 18 vs. (6) #3 North Carolina #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE Postponed to 6/19, inclement weather June 19 vs. (6) #3 North Carolina #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE W 12–2Konnor Pilkington (3–6) Austin Bergner (7–3)Cole Gordon (4) ESPN2 13,387 39–27 2–0 June 22 vs. (3) #1 Oregon State #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE L 2–12Brandon Eisert (5–3) Jacob Billingsley (5–4) none ESPN 21,002 39–28 2–1 June 23 vs. (3) #1 Oregon State #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE L 2–5Kevin Abel (6–1) Ethan Small (5–4) none ESPN 21,821 39–29 2–2
† Indicates the game does not count toward the 2018 Southeastern Conference standings .Collegiate Baseball poll.
Record vs. conference opponents [ edit ] Last two do not qualify for conf. tourn. Blank are not scheduled. Blue are home games, otherwise away.
Source: 2018 SEC baseball game results
Team ALA ARK AUB FLA UGA KEN LSU MSU MIZZ MISS SCAR TENN TAMU VAN Team Div SR ALA 8–22 0–3 0–3 . 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–2 2–1 1–2 . 0–3 0–3 . ALA W7 2–8 0–4 ARK 18–12 3–0 3–0 1–2 1–2 3–0 1–2 0–3 . 1–2 2–1 . 3–0 . ARK W2 5–5 4–1 AUB 15–15 3–0 0–3 1–2 . 1–2 2–1 2–1 1–2 0–3 . . 2–1 3–0 AUB W3 5–5 2–2 FLA 20–10 . 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 . 0–3 3–0 . 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–0 FLA E1 9–1 2–1 UGA 18–12 2–1 2–1 . 1–2 1–2 . . 3–0 1–2 3–0 2–1 2–1 1–2 UGA E2 6–4 2–0 KEN 13–17 1–2 0–3 2–1 1–2 2–1 . 2–1 2–1 . 2–1 1–2 . 0–3 KEN E5 5–5 0–2 LSU 15–15 2–1 2–1 1–2 . . . 2–1 2–1 1–2 0–3 3–0 1–2 1–2 LSU W4 5–5 1–1 MSU 15–15 2–1 3–0 1–2 3–0 . 1–2 1–2 1–2 2–1 . . 1–2 0–3 MSU W5 4–6 2–1 MIZZ 12–18 1–2 . 2–1 0–3 0–3 1–2 1–2 2–1 . 1–2 2–1 . 2–1 MIZZ E6 4–6 0–2 MISS 18–12 2–1 2–1 3–0 . 2–1 . 2–1 1–2 . 1–2 2–1 2–1 1–2 MISS W1 7–3 1–0 SCAR 17–13 . 1–2 . 1–2 0–3 1–2 3–0 . 2–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 2–1 SCAR E3 6–4 2–1 TENN 12–18 3–0 . . 1–2 1–2 2–1 0–3 . 1–2 1–2 0–3 2–1 1–2 TENN E7 3–7 1–2 TAMU 13–17 3–0 0–3 1–2 1–2 1–2 . 2–1 2–1 . 1–2 1–2 1–2 . TAMU W6 3–7 1–1 VAN 16–14 . . 0–3 0–3 2–1 3–0 2–1 3–0 1–2 2–1 1–2 2–1 . VAN E4 6–4 2–2 Team W–L ALA ARK AUB FLA UGA KEN LSU MSU MIZZ MISS SCAR TENN TAMU VAN Team Div SR SW
Updated for entire regular season.
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Final Coaches' [ 1] 15 15* 15* RV RV — — — — — — — — RV RV RV* RV* 6 Baseball America [ 2] — — — — — — — — — — — — — 25 — —* —* 6 Collegiate Baseball ^[ 3] 13 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 16 8 4 NCBWA †[ 4] 17 25 27 26 21 RV RV — — RV — RV — 28 RV 16 16* 4
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season.† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.* A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.
[ 5]
†Small, a redshirt sophomore, returns to MSU for the next season.[ 6] [ 7]
Mississippi State is ranked 8th by Perfect Game for its 2018 recruiting class, in spite of having two players, Carter Stewart and J. T. Ginn , both RHPs, go in the 1st round of the MLB draft and two more, Eric Cerantola and Sam Knowlton, both also RHPs, go in the 33rd and 39th, who did not sign to play professionally after this draft, although there is some speculation that Stewart may go JUCO instead. Stewart does go JUCO and after all teams have defections due to major league signings, Mississippi State is ranked 6th.[ 6] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10] [ 9] [ 11] [ 12] [ 9]
^ "USA Today Coaches' Poll" . Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2018 .^ Baseball America Poll ^ "2018 Collegiate Baseball Polls - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper" .^ "NCBWA > News" .^ "Mississippi State Baseball Has Seven Players Drafted In 2018 MLB Draft" . FanSided Inc. June 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018 .^ a b "MSU signee, MLB first-round pick Stewart doesn't sign with Braves" . Starkville Daily News. July 6, 2018. Archived from the original on July 7, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .^ "Jake Mangum Announces He's Returning To Mississippi State Baseball" . FanSided Inc. June 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2017 .^ "College Recruit Rankings Class of 2018" . Perfect Game. 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .^ a b c "Mississippi State's HS Recruits Class of 2018" . Perfect Game. 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .^ "Halter chooses MSU over professional path" . Starkville Daily News. July 3, 2018. Archived from the original on July 4, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .^ "2018 MSU Baseball Signee Hayden Jones Update" . CBS INTERACTIVE. May 23, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .^ "LHP Christian MacLeod Primed for Immediate Impact at MSU" . CBS INTERACTIVE. July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2017 .
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National Championships in Bold; College World Series appearances in italics
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