2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team

The 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represents the Mississippi State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Bulldogs play 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 will not be completed until the 2019 season.

2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball
Tallahassee Regional Champions Nashville Super Regional Champions
College World Series, 3rd (tie)
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Western Division
CB	No. 4
2018 record	39–29 (15–15 SEC)
Head coach	Andy Cannizaro (first 3 games), Gary Henderson
Home stadium	Dudy Noble Field, Polk–DeMent Stadium

2018 Southeastern Conference baseball standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
East Division
No. 3 Florida  ^x‍†‍‍^y	20	–	10		.667			49	–	21		.700
No. 20 Georgia  ‍‍‍^y	18	–	12		.600			39	–	21		.650
No. 12 South Carolina ‍‍‍^y	17	–	13		.567			37	–	26		.587
No. 16 Vanderbilt  ‍‍‍^y	16	–	14		.533			35	–	27		.565
Kentucky  ‍‍‍	13	–	17		.433			34	–	22		.607
Missouri  ‍‍‍	12	–	18		.400			34	–	22		.607
Tennessee  ‍‍‍	12	–	18		.400			29	–	27		.518
West Division
No. 19 Ole Miss  ^x‍‍‡‍^y	18	–	12		.600			48	–	18		.727
No. 2 Arkansas  ^x‍‍‍^y	18	–	12		.600			48	–	21		.696
No. 15 Auburn  ‍‍‍^y	15	–	15		.500			43	–	23		.652
LSU  ‍‍‍^y	15	–	15		.500			39	–	27		.591
No. 4 Mississippi State  ‍‍‍^y	15	–	15		.500			39	–	29		.574
Texas A&M  ‍‍‍^y	13	–	17		.433			40	–	22		.645
Alabama  ‍‍‍	8	–	22		.267			27	–	29		.482
x – Division champion † – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

Personnel

Coaching staff

2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff
Andy Cannizaro – Head Coach (first 3 games) – 2nd year Gary 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

Schedule and results

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 0–11 Nick 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 4–7 Jarod 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 2–5 Jacob Weirich (1–0) Zach Neff (0–1) Matt Wallner (1) 4,970 0–3 – Feb. 21 at Jackson State Braddy Field • Jackson, MS W 12–1 JP 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 7–4 Konnor 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 14–4 Ethan 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 3–6 Chad 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 3–6 Tyler 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 3–1 Cole 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 4–1 Jacob 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 9–1 Cole 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 6–0 Zach 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 4–2 Keegan 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 5–3 Jacob 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 5–11 Corey Gaconi (1–0) Keegan James (1–2) none 3,318 10–7 – Mar. 16 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 0–5 Drake 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 1–10 Patrick 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 3–4 Mason 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 17–1 Zach Neff (2–2) Regynold Johnson (0–1) none SECN+ 4,295 11–10 – Mar. 21 Texas Southern Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–6 Cole Gordon (2–1) Peyton Schneider (0–5) none SECN+ 4,713 12–10 – Mar. 23 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO L 1–4 TJ 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 4–7 Bryan 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 1–10 Zack 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 4–1 Ethan 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 0–4 Ma'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 5–0 Riley 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 13–3 Konnor 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 1–6 Ryan 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 15–4 Denver McQuary (1–1) Ivanniel Vazquez (1–4) none 1,502 18–16 – April 13 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 1–2 Casey Mize (7–1) Konnor Pilkington (2–5) none SECN 3,831 18–17 4–9 April 14 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 7–2 Ethan Small (3–3) Davis Daniel (2–3) none SECN+ 4,045 19–17 5–9 April 15 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 5–7 Cody Greenhill (2–1) Cole Gordon (2–2) none SECN+ 2,904 19–18 5–10 April 18 vs. Memphis AutoZone Park • Memphis, TN L 1–6 Connor 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 6–5 JP 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 5–3 Ethan 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 7–5 Jacob 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 7–6 Cole 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 3–6 Kaylor 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 11–6 Ethan 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 4–7 Stephen 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 6–4 JP 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 6–9 Sean 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 1–4 Jimmy 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 18–8 Jacob 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 6–3 Riley 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 12–4 JP 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 13–6 Blake Smith (1–0) Jackson Kowar (9–3) Cole Gordon (3) ESPNU 6,291 31–24 15–15
Post-Season (8–5)
SEC Tournament (0–1) Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall Record SECT Record May 22 vs. (8) LSU (9) Hoover Metropolitan Stadium • Hoover, AL L 5–8 Devin Fontenot (2–0) JP France (4–4) Todd Peterson (5) SECN 8,072 31–25 0–1 NCAA Tallahassee Regional (4–1) 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 10–20 Kyle 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 3–2 Riley 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 9–8 Jacob 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 13–5 Cole 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 8–1 JP France (5–5) Levi Prater (3–4) Riley Self (1) ESPN2 3,103 35–26 4–1 NCAA Nashville Super Regional (2–1) 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 10–8 Riley 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 3–4 Chandler 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 (2–2) 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 1–0 Zach 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 12–2 Konnor 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 2–12 Brandon 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 2–5 Kevin 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.
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

Rankings

Main article: 2018 NCAA Division I baseball rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	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	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	RV	RV*	RV*	6
Baseball America[2]	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	25	NR	NR*	NR*	6
Collegiate Baseball^[3]	13	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	16	8	4
NCBWA†[4]	17	25	27	26	21	RV	RV	NR	NR	RV	NR	RV	NR	28	RV	16	16*	4
D1Baseball

^ Collegiate Baseball ranks 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
* New poll was not released for this week so for comparison purposes the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

MLB Draft

Player	Position	Round	Overall	MLB Team
Konnor Pilkington	LHP	3	81	Chicago White Sox
J P France	RHP	14	432	Houston Astros
Hunter Stovall	2B	21	636	Colorado Rockies
Ethan Small†	LHP	26	789	Arizona Diamondbacks
Zach Neff	LHP	31	934	Minnesota Twins
Jake Mangum‡	LHP	32	950	New York Mets
Jacob Billingsley	RHP	32	972	Houston Astros

[5]

†Small, a redshirt sophomore, returns to MSU for the next season.[6]
‡Mangum, a junior, returns to MSU for the next season. Although Mangum had almost exclusively played CF in college and pitched very little, he was drafted as a pitcher.[7]

Recruiting

Mississippi State only has the Perfect Game 8th rated 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.[6][8][9] Perfect Game only covers commitments out of high school. There is also a JUCO player, Gunner Halter, SS, taken in the 26th round who plans to play for Mississippi State.[10] There are also two high schoolers that were not drafted, probably due to difficulty of being signed, who were projected as top 10 rounders, Hayden Jones, C, and Christian McLeod, LHP.[9][11][12] In addition to the four RHPs, C, LHP, and JUCO SS mentioned above, high school players also include three OFs, a RHP, two SSs, and a C.[9]

References

1. "USA Today Coaches' Poll". Archived from the original on 2017-07-10. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
2. Baseball America Poll
5. "Mississippi State Baseball Has Seven Players Drafted In 2018 MLB Draft". FanSided Inc. June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
6. "MSU signee, MLB first-round pick Stewart doesn't sign with Braves". Starkville Daily News. July 6, 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
7. "Jake Mangum Announces He's Returning To Mississippi State Baseball". FanSided Inc. June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
8. "College Recruit Rankings Class of 2018". Perfect Game. 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
9. "Mississippi State's HS Recruits Class of 2018". Perfect Game. 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
10. "Halter chooses MSU over professional path". Starkville Daily News. July 3, 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
11. "2018 MSU Baseball Signee Hayden Jones Update". CBS INTERACTIVE. May 23, 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
12. "LHP Christian MacLeod Primed for Immediate Impact at MSU". CBS INTERACTIVE. Jul 1, 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2017.