STARKVILLE – After its 10th appearance at the College World Series, the Mississippi State baseball program and first-year head coach Chris Lemonis have announced the 2019 schedule, which includes 36 home dates, three games at the Frisco Classic, 16 true road games and the annual Governor’s Cup meeting with Ole Miss.
The 56-game schedule features 30 games against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in the final 2018 USA Today Coaches Poll, including 24 of those coming in SEC play. Thirteen teams on the 2019 slate appeared in the NCAA Tournament, with 29 games against teams that earned a spot on the Road to Omaha. Sixteen of the final 17 opponents on the 2019 schedule finished in the top 25 or received votes in the final coaches poll of last season.
The season kicks off with a nine-game homestand at Dudy Noble Field, beginning with an opening-weekend series against Youngstown State (Feb. 15-17). The opening weekend will give fans the first look inside the newly-constructed Dudy Noble Field, as well as featuring multiple ceremonies surrounding the opening of college baseball’s elite facility.
After a mid-week contest with UAB (Feb. 20), the Diamond Dawgs entertain Southern Miss for a three-game set on Feb. 22-24. A pair of mid-week matchups closes out the season-opening homestand, as Jackson State travels to Starkville on Feb. 26 and Southeastern Louisiana will enter Dudy Noble Field on Feb. 27.
The month of March begins with a trip to Frisco, Texas for the four-team Frisco Classic at the home of the Frisco RoughRiders, Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. In the Frisco Classic, State will face off with Sam Houston State (March 1), Texas Tech (March 2) and Nebraska (March 3) at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
Another extended homestand begins with mid-week contests versus East Carolina (March 5) and Arkansas Pine-Bluff (March 6), before Maine comes to the New Dude for a three-game series on March 8-10. A mid-week matchup with Grambling (March 13) will be the final tune up before Southeastern Conference play kicks off.
A road trip to Gainesville to face Florida (March 15-17) kicks off conference play and, after a home game with Arkansas-Little Rock (March 19) and a bus ride to Samford (March 20), Auburn comes to Dudy Noble Field for the first home SEC series of the 2019 campaign on March 22-24. Mississippi Valley State travels to Starkville for a March 26 contest, followed by a three-game set with LSU (March 28-30) to close out the month.
April opens with a mid-week home game against Louisiana Monroe (April 3), before the Bulldogs head to Tennessee for a three-game series with the Volunteers (April 5-7). Mid-week games with South Alabama (April 10) and Texas Southern (April 16) bookend a Super Bulldog Weekend three-game matchup with Alabama (April 12-14).
Four-straight games away from home mark the longest road swing of the season, beginning with three games at Arkansas (April 18-20), before a Governor’s Cup matchup with Ole Miss at Trustmark Park in Jackson on April 23. The month ends with a three-game set against Georgia (April 26-28) at Dudy Noble Field.
Six of the final ten games will come on the road, beginning with a three-game series at Texas A&M (May 2-4). After a midweek stop at home to take on Memphis (May 8), the Diamond Dawgs head to Oxford to face off with Ole Miss (May 10-12). The Maroon and White will close out the season with a three-game series at home against South Carolina (May 16-18).
2019 Mississippi State Schedule
