STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA/MSU Athletics) - The anticipated weekend arrival of a chilly Canadian air mass accompanied by brisk northerly winds Saturday has triggered a change in Mississippi State's opening weekend baseball schedule at Dudy Noble Field.
The fifth-ranked Diamond Dogs take on Portland Friday afternoon as scheduled at 4 p.m., but Saturday and Sunday's game times have been altered. The Bulldogs and the Pilots will now meet in a single 2 p.m. game Saturday and conclude the weekend series Sunday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Stadium gates and ticket windows open two hours prior to scheduled game time with $5 general admission tickets available daily and good for admission to open chairback seating in the Dudy Noble Field grandstand.
In ceremonies prior to Saturday's 2 p.m. game, 2012 senior outfielder Brent Brownlee will be presented the second annual Mike Burns Teammate of the Year Award. The award is named in memory of State's All-SEC outfielder, a leader on MSU teams that claimed back-to-back SEC baseball championships in 1965 and 1966. Among those taking part in the ceremony are Martha Burns and former Bulldogs Bill Hamilton, Frank Portera and Ken Tatum.
Sophomore southpaw Jacob Lindgren is set to open on the mound for the Bulldogs in Friday afternoon's season opener. Junior righty Evan Mitchell will open on the hill Saturday and senior right-hander and team co-captain Kendall Graveman will pitch in the opening game of Sunday's twinbill. State has not designated a starting pitcher for the series finale.
Mississippi State opens its 123rd season of baseball with 998 wins in 46 seasons of competition at the current site of Dudy Noble Field.
