Video: Texas A&M Talks Mississippi State Weekend Match-Up

April 14, 2016

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – As Bulldog faithful from across the country descend upon Dudy Noble Field for the 2016 edition of Super Bulldog Weekend, the No. 8 Mississippi State Bulldogs (24-9-1, 8-4 SEC) welcome the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (26-7, 7-5 SEC) for a three-game series starting Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Game two of the series is set for 2 p.m., on Saturday, with the series finale taking place at 1:30 p.m., on Sunday.

The Diamond Dawgs returned to Dudy Noble on Wednesday for an 11-1 Hump Day victory against the Memphis Tigers after spending the prior weekend in Gainesville. It was there the Bulldogs took two games from the nation’s then-No. 1 Florida Gators at a venue where the Gators had not lost in 29-consecutive games dating back to 2015. After dropping the first game of the series, the Bulldogs battled back to win two straight and handed the Gators their first series loss at home since April of 2015 (2-8, 10-4, 2-1).

Having won 11 of its last 15 games, the Maroon and White enter the weekend looking to capture its fifth-straight SEC series for the first time since March 19-April 18, 1999 (vs. South Carolina, at Kentucky, vs. Auburn, vs. Alabama, at Tennessee). In total, the Bulldogs have won five-straight series, with four of those five series victories coming against teams ranked 11^th or better (No. 10 Oregon, at No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 11 Ole Miss, at No. 1 Florida).

Sitting at 8-4 in the conference, the Bulldogs are alone atop the SEC Western Division standings and are just two games out of first place in the league.

The Aggies come into the weekend riding a four-game winning streak. A&M has split their last two conference series, sweeping Georgia last weekend in College Station, but falling victim to a sweep from then-No. 3 Florida in Gainesville the prior weekend.

Most recently, the Aggies defeated Abilene Christian, 10-4, in a home midweek matchup on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs hold a 13-8 advantage in the series, with the Bulldogs owning a 6-4 edge in meetings since 2013, when A&M joined the SEC. TAMU has taken the last two series, with a 2-1 edge in College Station last season and a 2-1 series win in 2014 in Starkville.

Need To Know

In the latest rankings released Monday, MSU was voted 8^th in the Coaches Poll, 2^nd by Baseball America, 2^nd by D1 Baseball, 3^rd by Perfect Game, 4^th by the NCBWA and 5^th by Collegiate Baseball.
As of April 14, Mississippi State’s offense ranks sixth in the country in doubles (83, 1^st in SEC), fifth in hits (382, 1^st in SEC), 11^th in batting average (.319, 2^nd in SEC) and 12^th in on base percentage (.413, 1^st in SEC).
The Maroon and White pitching staff is eighth in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings (9.5, 4^th in SEC).
In league games only, MSU’s staff has compiled the best ERA in the conference (3.60).
Individually, junior outfielder Reid Humphreys is seventh in the country in doubles (15, 1^st in SEC)
Junior RHP Dakota Hudson is second in the conference in ERA (1.68)
After hitting .243 with two outs in 2015, the Bulldogs are terrorizing opposing pitching with a .323 clip (1^st in SEC) with two down this season.
Bulldog pinch hitters are raking at a .448 mark in 2016 (1^st in SEC), 80 points higher than the next closest opponent.
MSU skipper John Cohen is 6-4 all-time at MSU against the Aggies.
This is only the second meeting between the programs in Starkville since A&M joined the SEC.