Mississippi State will host Arizona in the 2016 Starkville Super Regional this weekend.
Super Regionals have been apart of college baseball since 1999. Prior to that (1987-1998) the field consisted of 48 teams: six team brackets at eight Regional sites. Those eight sites filtered into the College World Series.
Then in 1999 the field expanded to 64 teams, but Regionals went back to a 4-team bracket (same as 1975-1986) with 16 host sites. That led to “Super Regionals” being created to bridge the gap from Regionals to Omaha. It’s baseball’s Sweet 16 – best two out of three.
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2016 will mark the sixth time the Diamond Dawgs have advanced to the Super Regionals. Here’s a look back at those series…
2000 at Clemson – the Bulldogs traveled to Clemson, SC to play the Tigers. Things didn’t go so well as they were swept rather easily with final scores of 11-4 and 9-4.
2001 at Cal State Fullerton – things didn’t go so well here either. The Dawgs got clobbered out west, 19-2 and 9-3.
2007 vs. Clemson – this was the first time to ever host a Regional and offered a chance a payback for the loss in 2000. State did just that with a sweep, 8-6 and 8-5.
2011 at Florida – MSU was a big time underdog as a former 3 seed in their Regional facing the number two overall seed. The Dawgs ultimately lost in three games, but the win in Game 2 was a thrill….
2013 at Virginia – State traveled to Virginia and swept the Cavaliers 11-6 and 6-5 to earn their second trip to Omaha under this format.
Now Mississippi State is ready for their next Super Regional vs. Arizona at Dudy Noble Field, trying to even their record in such series to 3-3.