Mississippi State Bulldogs News: Diamond Dawgs Gearing Up for Super Regionals
Mississippi State won four games in two days to advance to the Super Regionals. Here is your latest Bulldogs news for your Wednesday afternoon!
As Sammon points out, no one really expected Mississippi State to be here. The Bulldogs suffered injury after injury, have a depleted bull pen, and a first-year head coach, yet they are one of the final sixteen teams remaining in college baseball.
"For a team that because of eight season-ending injuries Cannizaro admitted wasn’t constructed for long tournament stays, MSU winning four-straight games surprised many. But the Bulldogs used only six pitchers in the first 27 innings of those four games because of efforts like Billingsley’s.“We had lost the first game (Friday) and we know where we are at,” Billingsley said. “We have a lot of guys where it could be our last year. We knew we had a chance to win it and finish it.”"
Cannizaro goes on to say his team is ready for the moment that this weekend in Baton Rouge presents:
"“Our guys are ready for it,” Cannizaro said. “They are not going to be scared. They are not going to be intimidated.”Fair enough. After all, they weren’t supposed to be here. And now, they’re headed over there."
Mississippi State coach Andy Cannizaro: No fear playing LSU in Baton Rouge; Bulldogs on Omaha mission too – The Advocate
Cannizaro and LSU have history — that’s no secret. Nonetheless, the first-year coach for the Bulldogs is ready to return to Baton Rouge for the first time since accepting the job at State.
"Cannizaro stopped by “Culotta & T-Bob” on 104.5 FM ESPN in Baton Rouge on Wednesday morning. Here are a few highlights from the interview.On revenge factor heading into super regional…“I, personally, am over-the-top excited but not nearly as excited as our team is to get another opportunity to play LSU. I certainly think we’re a better team right now than when we were three weeks ago when we played LSU.“…Our guys are not, will not be scared (of playing LSU in Baton Rouge). It was just one short year ago where a Mississippi State team went into Alex Box (Stadium) and won two out of three. It’s not a place where they haven’t had very much success.”"
It’s no secret that LSU’s Mainieri has some kind of beef with Cannizaro, even refusing to say his name during the SEC Tournament. However, LSU’s head man says there is “no bad blood”.
"Meeting with reporters Tuesday before LSU’s super regional showdown vs. Mississippi State, Tigers coach Paul Mainieri downplayed any perceived tension between him and his former assistant and current Bulldogs coach Andy Cannizaro.“There’s no bad blood,” Mainieri said. “Andy was a good worker for our program 2-plus years, and now he’s the head coach at Mississippi State. I knew when he went there that every year we were going to have battles with them until my career is over or Andy’s career is over. Hopefully, mine will end before his does because he’s a young man.”"
Collegiate Baseball Freshmen AA Team – Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
Mississippi State’s Riley Self has been recognized has one of the best freshmen in college baseball. Self is a huge reason why the Bulldogs are where they are.
Congrats to RHP @rileyself32 on being named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshmen All-American Team!#HailState pic.twitter.com/ZN3YJI2CVM
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) June 7, 2017
"The 2017 Collegiate Baseball Freshmen All-American team features a wealth of baseball talent.The team is headed by four exceptional athletes who are Collegiate Baseball’s National Freshmen Players of The Year, including:Riley Self, Mississippi St.: Self was 5-1 with 6 saves over 28 appearances as he struck out 58 batters with 17 walks."
Pilkington Accepts Invitation To Join USA Baseball Collegiate National Team – HailState.com
Self was not the only Bulldog pitcher that is receiving recognition for his season, however, as Konnor Pilkington accepted an invite to pitch for the USA team.
https://twitter.com/HailStateBB/status/872457393631883264
"Pilkington led Mississippi State with an 8-5 record on the mound in 16 starts. He also eclipsed the 100-strikeout mark this season with 107 after punching out nine batters in the Hattiesburg regional against Illinois-Chicago. The Hurley, Mississippi native has also thrown 102 innings this season and has held opponents to a .198 batting average.“I am thrilled for the opportunity to represent Mississippi State and USA Baseball on the Collegiate National Team,” Pilkington said. “The chance to compete for Team USA is an honor and a privilege. It will be a great opportunity to compete against the best during the summer, which will only help in my development as a pitcher under Coach Cannizaro and Coach Henderson. I can’t wait to represent our program and all of Bulldog Nation as a member of Team USA.”"
Next: Diamond Dawgs to the Supers!
As outstanding as Dak Prescott is on the football field, it has always has been his character and his will to win that has stood out above the rest. Dak told the Talk of Fame Network that he plans to return to State to earn a doctorate in psychology.
"“Even though I had all the confidence in myself in making it to the NFL or in the game of football, I knew that it could be taken away from me at any moment,” Prescott said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “I never wanted to be that guy saying, ‘What if I’d have gotten my degree or something, then I would’ve had something to fall back on.'”"
Unless you live under a rock, you heard that Ole Miss responded to the NCAA’s NOA yesterday. Dodd says that the NOA “does not paint a rosy picture for Ole Miss.”
"If proven, the Ole Miss wrongdoing validates the NCAA’s overall allegation of lack of institutional control and failure to monitor. Those are two huge NCAA no-nos. The association spells them out in assertion after assertion saying Ole Miss, “seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model.”Boil it down and Ole Miss wants to avoid two things — a further postseason ban and additional scholarship cuts. The school has self-imposed a one-year bowl ban this season, along with the postseason revenue that goes with it, and docked itself 11 scholarships over four years."