STARKVILLE, MS. — The 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament arrives at Dudy Noble Field as the No. 14 National Seed Mississippi State Bulldogs prepare to host the Starkville Regional. The opening round will feature the host Bulldogs taking on the Lipscomb Bisons.
Mississippi State enters the tournament with a 40-17 overall record under first-year head coach Brian O’Connor. The Bulldogs feature a statistically dominant offense that set a single-season school record with 106 home runs. The lineup is anchored by third baseman Ace Reese, who holds a .327 batting average with 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, and an SEC-leading 21 doubles. Designated hitter Noah Sullivan provides additional production with a .348 average, 12 home runs, and 45 RBIs.
On the mound, O’Connor has named sophomore right-hander Duke Stone as the Friday starter against Lipscomb, opting to hold back staff ace Tomas Valincius, who carries a 10-2 record, a 2.93 ERA, and 120 strikeouts. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in Duke Stone that he’ll get us off to a great start,” O’Connor noted regarding the starting rotation decision.
Lipscomb travels to Starkville with a 29-24 overall record after capturing the ASUN Tournament Championship. Head coach Jeff Forehand’s squad demonstrated endurance in their conference tournament, navigating 33 innings across just three games, including a 14-inning contest. The Bisons found offensive consistency in May, hitting .321 as a team. Infielder Cam Pruitt leads the way with a .356 average and 22 multi-hit games, while reliever Kaleb Kantola secures the back of the bullpen with a 1.69 ERA and nine saves.
The two programs met earlier this season, with Mississippi State sweeping the series. That matchup included a 26-0 Mississippi State victory. Reflecting on the prior series, Forehand stated, “After coming down here, we learned a little bit, we had to take a beating to wake us up, but at the end of the day it was well worth it”.
Mississippi State will face Lipscomb on Friday, May 29 with first pitch scheduled for 1 PM CT.
Team Records and Tournament Status
- Mississippi State Bulldogs: 40-17 Overall (16-14 SEC). Status: No. 14 National Seed, Regional Host.
- Cincinnati Bearcats: 37-20 Overall. Status: No. 2 Regional Seed.
- Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns: 39-23 Overall. Status: No. 3 Regional Seed.
- Lipscomb Bisons: 29-24 Overall (19-11 ASUN). Status: No. 4 Regional Seed, ASUN Tournament Champions.
This was created with AI assistance using notes provided by the SEC, and edited for content and accuracy by the webmaster.