STARKVILLE – After winning 10 of its last 11 games, No. 2 Mississippi State baseball opens a new week with a midweek tilt against UAB on Tuesday (April 20) at 6:30 p.m. CT at Dudy Noble Field.
The Diamond Dawgs (27-8) are coming off of three straight SEC series victories, including its most recent home series win over in-state rival No. 6 Ole Miss, while the Blazers (12-23) split a four-game series at home over the weekend.
Fourth-year duo Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan lead the team in batting average, hitting .336 and .316, respectively. Jordan has raised his average significantly during SEC play and owns a career-best 20-game reach base streak. Allen had the big hit in MSU’s series clinching win against Ole Miss, as his bases-clearing three-run triple gave MSU a 7-4 lead in a five-run sixth inning rally before State would go on to win 7-5.
UAB’s Chandler Simpson leads the team in hitting, batting .340 on the year. Simpson owns a .384 on-base percentage, and has caused trouble when he reaches, stealing 17 bases on 18 attempts. The Blazers are hitting .245 as a team to go along with a 5.48 earned run average.
Gameday Info
Tuesday, April 20 (6:30 p.m.)
Probable Starters
MSU: Mikey Tepper, RHP, Fr.
UAB: Carson Knight, LHP. Fr.
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Quick Hitters
- Mississippi State will spend its ninth straight week ranked among the top five by at least one of the major polls, sitting as high as No. 2 per Baseball America.
- The Diamond Dawgs have won 10 of 11 games in the month of April, including a 5-1 record against ranked opponents and an 8-1 mark in SEC play. That stretch includes seven straight SEC games, which is the longest SEC winning streak by any conference team this season.
- The Bulldog pitching staff has fanned at least 10 batters in a school-record 15 straight games entering the week. Earlier in the season, State matched the 2001 team with 10 straight games and has now moved past that mark. State leads the NCAA with 453 strikeouts and has walked only 130 batters on the season.
- Rowdey Jordan‘s 20-game reached base streak is the longest of his career. During that span, Jordan is batting .389 with a .511 on-base percentage while slugging .653.
- After the first two-save weekend of his career, second-year freshman Landon Sims was tabbed SEC Newcomer of the Week. It is his second weekly award from the conference office, after garnering SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week during the opening weekend of the season.
Scouting the Opponent
- UAB owns a 12-23 record and a 5-11 mark in Conference-USA play. The Blazers won the first and third contests when they hosted Florida Atlantic for a four-game league series over the weekend.
- Chandler Simpson leads the Blazers with a .340 batting average and a .384 on-base percentage. In 103 at-bats, he has 35 hits, 21 runs scored and 15 RBIs.
- Zack Davis leads UAB with eight doubles, 24 RBIs and a .433 slugging percentage. Davis is also tied for the team lead in home runs with four.
- UAB’s 16-man staff has combined for a 5.48 ERA, while allowing opposing batters a .270 batting average. The Blazer staff has allowed 300 hits and 146 walks over 287 2/3 innings.
Series Notes
- Mississippi State and UAB will meet for the 45th time on Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field, with MSU owning a 34-10 advantage all-time.
- The last meeting came during the shortened 2020 season, with MSU posting a 3-2 victory at Dudy Noble Field.
- Mississippi State has won 18 of the last 19 meetings between the two programs, with UAB winning 6-4 in Birmingham on March 9, 2011.
- Since that meeting in 2011, State and UAB have only met twice – a 2012 NCAA Tournament game and the 2020 meeting.
- At Dudy Noble Field, Mississippi State owns an 18-4 all-time edge against the Blazers.