May 1998 Unofficial MSU Baseball News

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05/31/98 - Our Diamond Dawgs won another cardiac 1-run victory, 14-13. This time against Florida, our jinx from the SEC. Click here to read an article about the Bulldogs victory over Florida.

The Bulldogs play LSU at 2:30 p.m. Monday.

05/30/98 - Here is the The Tupelo Daily Journal Online MSU/CWS Site

05/29/98 - Here are the final stats and honors for MSU baseball signee Lance Lamberth:

05/28/98 - Here are the College World Series brackets thanks to David Oakes:

CWS Brackets

05/28/98 - CBS is conducting a national viewer poll on "Who will win the CWS". All 8 teams are on the poll. Go here to vote.

05/28/98 - Here is some comments by one of you about his experience at the Central Regional:

"Before Thursday's game with Washington, we were walking to the stadium. An AGGIE fan comes up to us and says "We are cheering for you guys. We think highly of your football coach." After saying this, he gave me a ticket to the game. Two ladies saw this and asked if my girlfriend and I needed another ticket. They then gave me two tickets behind home plate. They also said they thought highly of Jackie! When we got into the stadium, AGGIE fans kept coming up to us and talking about Jackie. MSU should be proud of his accomplishments since coming to MSU.

"The AGGIE fans were loud and proud, and showed class. They treated MSU fans with respect. They were also impressed with the hitting displays our team showed throughout the tournament."

05/26/98 - Here are some pics from yesterday's greet the Cental Regional champions Diamond Dawgs (sorry I couldn't get pictures of all of the players):

05/26/98 - I received this info from a MSU fan who was at the championship game. I'll quote him:

"I was at the game last night. One thing you can say about the Aggies, they certainly have spirit.

"In the top of the 9th all 6,000 of them began singing and chanting the Aggie fight song. As they sang, they all, and I mean all, linked arms and started swaying back and forth. It kind of looked liked fat wheat being blown in the wind. It was quite a spectacle.

"Reinike wasn't distracted and never wavered. He just kept firing. Then the MSU fans kicked in. Our bunch of about 500 out-yelled the thousands.

"You know, those kids had waited all year for a reason to land in a pile of humanity in the middle of the field. It was great to watch."

05/26/98 - Here's another account of the Central Regional from anonymous Bulldog fan. Whoever you are, great job!

"Just thought I'd share with you not able to have been at College Station. These were some huge efforts which MIGHT not have gotten the attention they deserved:

"Kevin Donovan (who had been flogged earlier in the morning) steps up B-I-G in the 10-9 win over A&M. A&M had stayed close against us the night before, caught us later, and hung on to win 4-3. This second game looked like it may have been scripted the same - and we were very short on pitching. Sixth inning, Hank on the mound, us leading 6-5. First two guys get on and the call goes out for Kevin. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. End of inning, 6-5 lead intact. Kevin came up HUGE.

"Chris Reinike - same situation and I know he got the press. HUGE again.

"Brooks Bryan versus the Krispies. Game had a chance to get further out of hand. Bubba (or Slim, or Tex) has one on and blasts a ball to the deepest part of center. Brooks gets on his horse, does a Spiderman, and plucks it off the wall. HUGE. No, Bubba, not in Brooks' House!!

"Matt the Peeples vs. the Owls. Top of 9th. 15-13 lead. Van on the mound. Top of the lineup. First batter and bing, its 15-14. The DH, #2 in the lineup hits a vicious liner up the middle. Freeman and Peeples react and WHAP - its off Van's wrist. Peeps plants like he's Michael unleashing an ankle-breaking move takes his body back towards first and he bellies out. He needed every bit of his 5'8" and his reaction time to snap it out of the air. There was NO chance to get him at first. Van's wrist - unbroken, Rice's heart - broken.

"Dawg fans there were simply outstanding. A&M is a wonderful place to play. Knowledgable, fun-loving Aggie fans provided home field advantage without getting too personal. Big home field advantage and plenty of spirit. Yup, there were the go-home-earlies, but most stayed until the execution was complete. Dawg fans in the upper deck down the third base line were like Texans at the Alamo ..... though outnumbered 6-1, the noise level was close to even. WOOF WOOF !!! Dudes leading the cheers were OUTSTANDING. You know who you are, and there were plenty of ya!

"Looking forward to Omaha.

"JustAnotherJaxDawg"

05/26/98 - The two MSU baseball signees from Memphis, 6-4 left handed pitcher Joey Collums and right handed pitcher Adam Larson, were named to the Commercial Appeal Super Five players list from the Shelby Metro.

05/26/98 - Did you know best-selling author and big Bulldog baseball fan John Grisham has donated material to the Mitchell Memorial Library and now has a room in it? You can visit it by clicking here. By the way, President Emeritus Dr. Donald Zacharias is the Director of the John Grisham Library.

05/26/98 - A source of mine talked to Noxapater HS baseball player Judd Sanborn in the last few days and, as of now, Judd said he has no intentions of walking-on at MSU, as I posted earlier.

05/25/98 - How confident was this team that they would win the Central Regional? Well, prior to leaving for College Station, shortstop Brad Freeman was asked by a friend of mine if he had a quote for Gene's Page. His quote was: "Tell everybody we'll see them in Omaha."

Sorry for not posting it, but I guess even I wasn't a 100% sure they would make it and I didn't want to put so much pressure on Brad. My apologies to Brad for not posting it.

05/25/98 - MSU on to Omaha!! Chris Reinike in the most important game of his baseball career, so far, held Texas A&M scoreless for the last 6.2 innings, while allowing 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. Coach Jim Case said someone would step forward and do what was needed to be done. He was right. Thanks to all of our Diamond Dawgs. The Dawgs will be arriving home tomorrow around 2 to 2:30 tomorrow afternoon. Be there!

Diamond Dawg outfielder Brooks Bryan named Most Valuable Player of the Central Regional.

05/25/98 - Collegiate Baseball Magazine has named MSU freshmen baseball players Jon Knott (DH, 1st Team) and Mark Freed (Pitcher, Honorable Mentioned) Freshmen All-Americans. Click here for the complete list.

05/25/98 - In case you haven't seen them, click here to see pictures from the Central Regional.

05/24/98 - Miss State, after defeating #1 seed Rice, 15-14, and #2 seed Texas A&M, 10-9, Saturday will play either Washington or Texas A&M Sunday night at 7 p.m. for the Central Regional Championship.

Visit the Central Regional site linked above to read about yesterday's games.

05/24/98 - Just got word that Ole Miss has offered a scholarship to Noxapater HS pitcher Andy Young. Miss State is also looking at Andy.

05/24/98 - MPSA Male Athlete-Player-of-the-Year Cager Garner, of Starkville Academy, according to my source, will either walk-on or sign with Miss State.

05/24/98 - By the way, did you know that MSU middle reliever Brian Compton, according to a source of mine, turned down a scholarship offer from Ole Miss to walk-on at Miss State?

05/23/98 - Miss State, after leading Texas A&M 3-0, lost to the Aggies, 4-3. They now play number 1 seed Rice at 11 a.m. today. If they beat Rice, they will replay Texas A&M at 7 p.m. tonight. Chris Reinike will pitch for the Bulldogs.

Check the Central Regional site listed above for details of last night's game.

05/23/98 - The rumor is Noxapater HS's Judd Sanborn (one half of the dynamite duo at Noxapater) will walk-on at State next season. His teammate Andy Young continues to be looked at by State as well as Ole Miss (offered?).

05/22/98 - Miss State defeated Washington, 7-6, yesterday. They now play Texas A&M tonight. Game time is at 7 p.m.

05/22/98 - Here is a little more info about Itawamba AHS pitcher/shortstop Ed Hebert (6-1, 195). Ed, according to my source, is very similar to former New Hope HS pitcher Jeff Hunter (a rotation pitcher at Meridian CC as a freshman), in that he doesn't throw extremely hard, but he changes speeds, locates his breaking ball (good movement) and spots his fastball very well. My source also said Ed has a "good body" (means he has room to grow and should add quite a bit of velocity to his fastball) and is a great competitor. I was also told Ed is a great kid who comes from a outstanding family background.

I'm really not sure, at this point, who Ed will sign with, but if he does as Hunter did and goes to a junior college, I really expect to hear great things about him for the next two years and then, when he goes on to a D-I school, I fully expect him to be very successful there as well.

If you want to see Ed pitch, you can see him play in the Mississippi HS All-Star game which will be played at Ole Miss on June 16. As I said in my earlier post on him, he will be playing for the Memphis Tigers of the AABC Connie Mack League.

05/22/98 - Before the game tonight, you Jackson, Mississippi Bulldog fans ought to go to CiCi's Pizza and enjoy some great pizza made by fellow Bulldog fan Ray Downey, owner and operator of CiCi's Pizza. Tell him Gene sent you. What the heck, print off a copy of his ad from my page and leave it with him. Let him know we Bulldog fans support each other.

05/21/98 - According to my recruiting message board and another source of mine, Miss State, LSU and others are looking at Ed Hebert, a pitcher/shortstop from Itawamba AHS. This past season he batted .409 and had an ERA of 1.64 to go along with 117 K's in 64 innings. He threw a no-hitter against Tishomingo County HS and set a school record for K's in a game with 20. His fastball has been clocked as high as 88 mph. Look for him to play AABC ball with the Memphis Tigers this summer.

05/19/98 - Check out the regional links listed above.

05/19/98 - For the first time ever, a former Bulldog player participated in a perfect game. The only problem is the Bulldog player, Jon Shave, was an unwilling participate on the team that had the perfect game thrown against them. Jon, who plays for Minnesota, was 0-for-3 against David Wells. On well, he can at least say he played in a perfect game. Considering there have been only 13 in major league history, this is not such a bad thing even if you were on the losing end of it.

05/19/98 - Did you know that MSU's other Memphis pitcher commitment, Joey Collums, threw a one-hit shutout Friday night vs MBA of Nashville?

05/18/98 - Click here to go to the official NCAA college baseball site. Hopefully, they will update it when the regional teams are selected.

05/17/98 - Miss State (37-20, 16-17) was defeated by Arkansas, 7-3, eliminating MSU from the SEC Tournament. Now the waiting begins.

Brad Freeman (3 hits), Brooks Bryan (2 hits), and John Knott (2 hits) were the hitting stars for the game.

Freshman pitcher Mark Freed (IP-6, H-7, ER-3, BB-1, SO-3), pitched very effectively for 6 innings, giving way to junior pitcher Scott Polk in the 7th.

As I said earlier, the waiting begins. MSU's hopes for the season to continue in the NCAA Regionals appear to be dim at the moment. If Arkansas wins the SEC Tournament today, they probably get the last at-large bid the SEC will be awarded. LSU and Florida (hosting regionals) are assured of a bid. Alabama, Auburn and South Carolina, because of their records, most certainly will receive a bid. If history is any indication, the SEC wil receive, at best, 6 NCAA bids. We have to hope that if Arkansas loses today, and the SEC only receives 6 bids, MSU will be the 6th because they had a tougher schedule and won more D-I games. It's probably a longshot, but, most likely, it's our only hope.

05/17/98 - Is another great Mississippi high school player about to be overlooked by Miss State and the other Mississippi D-I colleges this year? New Hope High School's Justin Hallmark, a first baseman, has really had a great year offensively and defensively but, so far, has received very little attention. MSU and all of the other D-I schools may be about to let a great player get away. Justin, in my opinion, has been overlooked because this is his first year to start because he played behind present North Florida CC standout Scott Atwood. I have seen Justin play. He is a great player.

05/16/98 - Miss State (37-19, 16-16) defeated LSU, 7-5, Friday, elminating them from the SEC Tournament. MSU and Arkansas face each other at 10 a.m. today. The game is on Fox/SportsSouth. If MSU wins they face Arkansas at 5 p.m. today.

The hitting stars for the game were Brad Freeman 2-for-3 with a home run and 3 RBI, Rusty Thoms 3-for-5 with 1 RBI, Brian Wiese 2-for-5, and Brooks Bryan 1-for-2 with 2 RBI.

Chris Reinike and Brian Compton held the LSU Tigers to 5 runs on 7 hits and 5 walks while striking out 12 (Reinike 5 and Compton 7 in 4 innings).

State did not commit an error.

When the selection committee decides to select the 48 teams that will be invited to the NCAA Regionals, I hope they will consider that Arkansas has 31 D-I victories to MSU's 36. Hopefully, MSU will elimiate Arkansas today so it won't matter. If Arkansas does defeat MSU today, I sure hope they won't just look at the head to head competition. If they do, then maybe they should also look at the fact that MSU was 2 of 2 against Auburn and 3 of 4 against South Carolina, two other teams that are fighting for NCAA at-large berths.

BTW, something I heard about the Lotterhos family should be of interest to all of you. A source who knows the family told me that they have been extremely pleased with how well the MSU fans have accepted Chris and them. They said State has some of the nicest bunch of fans they have ever been around.

05/15/98 - Miss State (36-19, 15-16) was defeated by Arkansas, 10-3, Thursday night.

In an elimination game, Miss State and LSU play Friday beginning at 5 p.m.

Players who had a good hitting day were: Brian Wiese 2-for-4, Richard Lee 2-for-5, Travis Chapman 2-for-5, Barry Patton 2-for-3, and Dustin Dabbs 2-for-4.

In his worse outing of the year, Jeremy Jackson lasted just 3.1 innings while giving up 7 runs (all earned) on 9 hits. Sophomore pitcher Kevin Donovan pitched well, allowing just 1 earned run while striking out 7 in 3.1 innings.

05/15/98 - As the saying goes "the creme rises to the top." MSU signee Adam Larson (Germantown) threw a no-hitter against Houston, 1-0, in the Region 8-AAA championship at Germantown.

05/15/98 - If you would like to show junior pitcher Jeremy Jackson your Bulldog support, go to the SEC Sports Page and vote on him as the SEC Pitcher-of-the-Year.

05/15/98 - Just thought you guys would like to know what MSU's Meridian CC's signees are doing so far this year (Through May 13th). Source - The Meridian Star:

Catcher Chris Curry:

Outfielder Shane Kelly:

05/14/98 - If you are interested in a play-by-play cybercast of the SEC Tournament, go to the above SEC Baseball Tournament Cybercast Link.

05/14/98 - Miss State (36-18, 15-15) defeated South Carolina, 9-8, Wednesday. Miss State plays Arkansas at 5 p.m. today.

Hitting stars for the South Carolina game were shortstop Brad Freeman, 3-for-5; first baseman Richard Lee, 3-for-5, including 2 home runs and 5 RBIs; and second baseman Chris Lotterhos, 2-for-3.

Matt Ginter started and went 6.1 innings, allowing 7 earned runs on 8 hits and 5 walks. Matt also struck out 7. Brian Compton (1-IP, 3-H, 1-ER, 0-BB, 1-SO) and Van Johnson (1.2-IP, 1-H, 0-ER, 0-BB, 3-SO, Save) also pitched.

05/13/98 - Miss State begins SEC Tournament play beginning at 10 a.m. today. Either Matt Ginter (4-3, 4.76), who has won his last four, or Jeremy Jackson (9-1, 3.42) will start for the Bulldogs.

05/13/98 - Here is an article from The Commercial Appeal that I think you will find interesting.

By Zack McMillin and Kevin Gorman of The Commercial Appeal

Joey Collums pitches it.

Grant Caldwell catches it.

More often than not, opposing batters stand there mystified.

It is a sophisticated game of catch that the Evangelical Christian School seniors play, one that began when they were 11-year-olds playing Little League ball and one they hope doesn't end until they have won another state title.

By their best estimate, they have played in 500 baseball games together, and of the 125 or so games Collums has pitched, Caldwell has caught all but a handful.

"We've been together for so long I kind of take it for granted, having Grant catch for me," says Collums, a lanky 6-4 lefthander. "I can't imagine it any different."

Collums is 27-3 in his career as a pitcher for the Eagles, and will make his third straight all-state team this summer.

He's the first to say Caldwell deserves a lot of credit for his success.

"Grant's always helped me with my pitching," Collums says. "He can tell if I'm getting tired, when my arm's dropping. If I'm doing something wrong, he can point those things out."

Kevin Geshke, a longtime teammate who now plays at Vanderbilt, says of Collums: "If Grant wasn't catching, he'd be a different pitcher. They are so comfortable with one another."

Collums is the laid-back one. He is smooth and elegant on the mound, as unreadable as Steve Carlton, the lefthander Collums most resembles in the way he delivers pitches.

"Joey is a competitor," says ECS coach Jim Heinz. "He loves to compete and what I really like about him is that he loves to compete against good people."

Says Caldwell: "His biggest attribute on the mound is his poise. He never gets rattled."

Caldwell is the one full of spit and vinegar, the one who doesn't mind displaying his emotions.

"Grant is a little more outspoken," Heinz says. "I tell you one thing about Grant: he's an excellent teacher of the game. I don't know if he wants to coach, but I wish you could watch him take our catchers and work with them."

Caldwell's numbers this season are as good as any hitter's in town: seven home runs, 48 RBI and a .471 batting average. Collums bats in front of Caldwell in the batting order, and his .456 batting average is also one of the best in Shelby-Metro.

Collums's pitching numbers are what separate him, and, really, Caldwell from other elite players. His 27 wins are complemented by a career ERA near 1.00.

Unlike most high school coaches, Heinz allows his pitchers and catchers to call their own pitches. It has been an especially effective policy for Collums and Caldwell.

Take the Class AA state tournament game in 1996, when Heinz sent Collums, then a sophomore, out to face two-time defending state champion Unicoi County.

Unicoi threw a senior pitcher with a 33-3 career record, and used a lineup featuring three players with 10 or more home runs.

Collums threw 118 pitches that afternoon, shaking off Caldwell's pitch suggestions only twice. He carried a shutout into extra innings, and Caldwell's two-run double in the eighth gave the Eagles a 4-1 victory that would propel them to the state title.

"They know each other back and forth," says Geshke. "Grant knows what he wants to throw. They talk about hitters all the time. When it's the day of a big game, they are pretty inseparable."

For the last eight years, their families have been pretty inseparable in the spring and summer. They've carpooled to Michigan and New Mexico and made several tours of the Southeast together.

"We've gotten to know them pretty well," says Steve Collums, Joey's father. "They are great friends. I know we'll miss seeing them next year."

Today, Collums and Caldwell will make official their college choices, with Collums signing with Mississippi State and Caldwell with Samford. They've planned a celebration at the school, but in more ways than one it will be a bittersweet day.

"We always kind of dreamed of going to the same college," Collums said, "and when we were little, of playing in the major leagues."

On Friday they will be together, when ECS plays a Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Nashville Montgomery Bell Academy.

Collums will pitch.

Caldwell will catch.

It's hard not to like ECS's chances.

"The chemistry is so good," Caldwell said. "We always thought along the same lines. I think the important thing is that we both have a pretty good work ethic. When I don't feel motivated, he'd kick my butt and I'd do the same for him. A lot of people, when they get older, get interested in other things. But we both wanted to play baseball. "I think it turned out to be a pretty good pair."

To reach reporter Zack McMillin, call 529-2564; E-mail: mcmillin@gomemphis.com; to reach reporter Kevin Gorman, E-mail: gorman@gomemphis.com

05/12/98 - The 8 regionals will be as follows:

05/11/98 - Miss State (35-18, 14-15) lost to Arkansas, 8-3, in the last game at Dudy Noble Field/ Polk-DeMent Stadium this season.

Miss State plays South Carolina Wednesday in the SEC Tournament.

Miss State Media Relations Info:

MSU nailed down a berth in the SEC Tournament and the No. 6 seed with a 1-2 weekend against the Arkansas Razorbacks, who claimed the tournament's No. 7 seed with a win in the series finale.

State is bracketed in the SEC Tournament with No. 2 seed LSU, No. 7 seed Arkansas, and MSU's first-round opponent, No. 3 seed South Carolina.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season with wins in 12 of their last 16 games and 8 of their last 11 league games.

A side note: Jackson, the 1998 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was involved in pregame warmups and was unable to attend MSU's spring graduation ceremonies, where he was one of 10 MSU graduates this spring with a perfect 4.0 college career grade point average. MSU President Dr. Malcolm Portera scheduled a special diploma presentation ceremony for Jackson the Monday following Mississippi State's regular season-ending series with Arkansas.

For the record: MSU relief pitcher Van Johnson took the hill twice over the weekend, tying the MSU record with his 110th career relief appearance. Johnson is 2-0 with a 3.41 ERA and a team-best 8 saves in 29 appearances. Earlier this season he set the MSU career saves record with his 27th save, the third-most in Southeastern Conference history.

05/10/98 - Miss State (35-17, 14-14), after losing to Arkansas (33-18, 12-14) Friday night, thumped the Razorbacks, 17-3, Saturday.

Junior pitcher Jeremy Jackson (88-89 mph per a scout's gun), once again back in the groove, allowed Arkansas 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks during the 8 innings he pitched. Jeremy also struck out 10. Junior reliever Scott Polk pitched the 9th inning, striking out 1 while allowing no hits, walks or runs.

Seven Bulldog hitters had multiple hit games: Junior rightfielder Brian Wiese 2 hits, including his 12th home run, 3 RBI; senior leftfielder Rusty Thoms 4 hits, 1 RBI; senior shortstop Brad Freeman 2 hits, 1 RBI; senior first baseman Richard Lee 2 hits; senior centerfielder Brooks Bryan 4 hits, including his 8th home run, 6 RBI; sophomore third baseman Travis Chapman 2 hits, including his 9th home run, 2 RBI; freshman DH Jon Knott 2 hits, 1 RBI.

I haven't mentioned him much this season, but I have to say junior Ole Miss transfer Chris Lotterhos has really solidified this team the past three and a half weeks with his batting (.346 going into Saturday's game) and defense at second base. In fact, he made another outstanding defensive play Saturday.

Miss State, with the win Saturday, is now the 6th seed in next weeks SEC Tournament. MSU and Arkansas conclude their three-game series today at 1 p.m.

05/09/98 - Miss State was defeated by the Arkansas Razorbacks, 14-10, in 10 innings Friday night.

Arkansas came back from a 6-2 deficit to win the game. Miss State's sophomore pitcher Matt Ginter had his least effective outing in about 4 starts, not lasting 5 complete innings. Ace middle reliever Brian Compton also was ineffective for just about the only time this year. Hank Thoms, Mark Freed (now 6-4 on the season) and Van Johnson also pitched. Junior second baseball Chris Lotterhos continues to hit the ball as shown by his 3 hits Friday night. Senior catcher Barry Patton, senior shortstop Brad Freeman, senior first baseman Richard Lee and sophomore third baseman Travis Chapman all had 2 hits each.

Our Bulldogs and the Razobacks continue their three-game series with game two at 2 p.m. today. Jeremy Jackson will start for the Bulldogs.

05/08/98 - In possibly the most important three-game series of the season, Miss State and Arkansas fight it out beginning at 6:30 tonight. Be there!!

05/08/98 - I know there has been much debate as to whether Miss State has a chance to host a regional if they win three and maybe two out of three this weekend. I decided to ask people within the MSU athletic department and others in the know. After talking to six "inside" sources, the results were 3 good chance and 3 very doubtful. If you add my guess, it would be 4 good chance and 3 very doubtful. I know it didn't help solve anything, but I thought you would like to know what the "inside" folks are thinking. Sorry, I promised not to name names. Well, actually one made it public Wednesday. Rick Cleveland, of The Clarion-Ledger, believes MSU has a great shot at hosting a regional if they win 2 or 3 this weekend. He said this on the Bill Walberg show.

05/08/98 - An inside source said that the following freshmen hitters are going to put up some great numbers the next two or three years: Jon Knott, Josh West, Phillip Willingham and redshirt freshman catcher Jason Burkley. The word is West is really going to be outstanding and that we haven't come close to seeing how good of a hitter he will be. Also look for Burkley to have a good chance to put up some power numbers in the 15-20 home run range. Looks like the future looks bright for MSU baseball fans.

05/08/98 - It also appears Miss State baseball fans will have a long, tough summer waiting out the results of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. The word is signees Dustin Krug, Derek Rix, Derry Hammond and Chris Curry will all be drafted (several may go high in the draft). It will take big money to sign them, but with the 27 or more home runs hit by Rix and the awesome power of high schooler Hammond, plus the hitting ability of Curry and the velocity (as hard as Matt Ginter, maybe harder) of Krug, these guys might just receive the big money offers from the pros. We'll just have to cross our fingers, folks.

05/07/98 - Thought some of you would enjoy reading these comments from a friend of mine who was at the baseball games this past weekend:

We were in Columbia for the games and had a wonderful time. I think the team is playing better than they were playing in post-season last year. Coach Mac did a great job keeping this team together when they were at a season low. We should be very thankful that we have such a great person and good coach representing MSU.

Regarding SC facilities:
We were listening to the South Carolina broadcasters during the rain delay on Sunday. The improvements SC is planning to make deal with facilities that effect the team such as the visitor dugout, practice facility, etc. They did not make any comments regarding changing the stadium in any way that would effect the fans.

Regarding Media attention:
During the rain delay the SC broadcasters were interviewing the writer for the Greenville news that covers South Carolina. South Carolina and Clemson have been complaining about the lack of coverage of the baseball teams. I thought it was interesting that the writer stated that part of the lack of coverage was due to the attention on finding a basketball coach for Clemson and that more people were interested in basketball than baseball. BTW, both teams have had more coverage the last few days.

The Greenville and Columbia newspaper seldom give ACC or SEC baseball standings and box scores for these conferences. As much complaining we do about the Daily Journal or Clarion Ledger, they at least cover Mississippi State Baseball and SEC baseball. We should be very thankful that out team receives this coverage.

05/06/98 - Thanks to TopDog for bringing this to my attention:

If you would like to nominate a Bulldog player for The Sporting News Player of Pitcher of the Week, email your nomiations to mbonavit@sportingnews.com. Matt Ginter and Brian Wiese are very deserving of this honor.

Also, if you want Miss State to have any chance at all of hosting a Regional, you have to be at the games this weekend. We really need to draw a HUGE crowd this weekend to send a statement to the NCAA Selection Committee. There are quite a few teams above us in the standings who will bid on hosting a regional. We have to beat them out in other ways such as a big money bid (Templeton will do his part) and huge crowds (our part of the bargain).

05/06/98 - MSU signee Shane Kelly (outfielder from Meridian CC) was 4-for-6 this weekend with 2 home runs, a double and a stolen base.

05/06/98 - I have finally received accurate info on North Florida CC baseball player Scott Atwood. I friend of mine talked to Scott yesterday and his words were he has not received any offers from any Division-I schools. He has been told by several scouts that he will probably be drafted in the June Major League Amateur Draft but probably not high enough to cause him to sign. He has every intention of fulfilling his obligation to North Florida CC and will return next season. The best thing he ever did was sign with North Florida CC and play in the Florida Junior College League.

05/05/98 - The latest word is Miss State is very interested in signing Forest Hill HS centerfielder Autero McDowell. Autero has committed to Meridian CC but is definitely interested in Miss State. An odd twist to this is West Virginia University is also showing a great deal of interest in Autero.

Info Received From the MSU Office of Athletic Media Relations (Joe Dier):

STARKVILLE, Miss. --- A sterling pitching performance in Mississippi State's 16-0 rout at No. 3 South Carolina Friday has netted SEC Pitcher of the Week honors for Bulldog sophomore righthander Matt Ginter.

The Winchester, Ky., product struck out a career-high 14, walked three and allowed just three hits in the first complete-game pitching performance by a Bulldog hurler this season.

Ginter (4-3, 4.39) faced one batter over the minimum through the first 5-1/3 innings before giving up his first hit of the game in the sixth. South Carolina managed but two infield singles the remainder of the game.

The MSU pitcher becomes the third Mississippi State player in as many weeks to be honored by the Southeastern Conference. Junior lefty Jeremy Jackson was accorded SEC Pitcher of the Week honors two weeks ago following a shutout performance at Auburn while junior rightfielder Brian Wiese, the second-leading hitter in the SEC, was tabbed for SEC Player of the Week honors after leading MSU to a series sweep against Georgia.

Mississippi State (34-16/13-13), ranked 16th in this week's Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches poll, closes out its 1998 regular-season schedule this weekend at Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium, hosting 24th-ranked Arkansas in a crucial three-game SEC Western Division series. MSU can clinch a berth in next week's SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., with one victory and can nail down a No. 6 seed with two wins over the Razorbacks (32-17, 11-13).

05/04/98 - 18th ranked Miss State (34-16, 13-13) was defeated by 3rd ranked South Carolina, in a rain shortened game, 6 to 2.

Senior catcher Barry Patton had two hits including a double. Junior starting pitcher Chris Reinike pitched the first 3.2 innings, allowing all of the runs, four of which were earned. Junior reliever Hank Thoms came on in relief as did freshman Mark Freed and shut South Carolina out the rest of the way until it was called after the Dogs batted in the 8th.

Tidbits from Bulldog fans at the games:

In case you are wondering what Miss State has to do to get into the SEC Tournament, here is what needs to happen: A combination of either 2 Miss. State wins against Arkansas next week or 2 losses by Ole Miss (vs. LSU) would give the Bulldogs a spot in the tournament field.

From the Miss State Media Relations Department:

The Bulldogs stepped up the pace on the comeback trail last week, registering consecutive shutout wins (11-0 over Southern Miss and 16-0 over South Carolina) and claiming their third straight SEC weekend series with an impressive 2-1 showing at third-ranked South Carolina. The wins over the Gamecocks were the ninth and 10th against top 10-ranked teams in 1998 and helped solidify Mississippi State's standing in the race for the 1998 SEC Baseball Tournament (May 13-17, Hoover, Ala.). Sunday's rain-abbreviated 6-2 loss at USC halted an impressive seven-game SEC win streak for State, winners in 11 of their last 13 games.

Sophomore pitcher Matt Ginter (4-3, 4.39 ERA, 85 strikeouts):
In the most impressive outing of his young career, the Winchester, Ky., product recorded a career-high and MSU staff high 14 strikeouts in pitching a three-hit, complete-game shutout at third-ranked South Carolina (MSU 16, USC 0). Ginter faced one batter over the minimum through 5-1/3 innings before allowing a hit and then limited the Gamecocks to two infield singles the remainder of the game. It was the first complete-game pitching performance of the sophomore righthander's career and the first of the season by a Bulldog hurler.

Junior rightfielder Brian Wiese (.440, 18 doubles, 11 HR, 47 RBI):
Last week's SEC Player of the Week continued his torrid pace at the plate over the past week, going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and 3 RBI in MSU's 11-0 win over Southern Miss and 5-for-12 with a double, two home runs, two walks, two HBP and 4 RBI in MSU's 2-1 series showing at third-ranked South Carolina. For the week, Wiese went 9-for-17 (.529) and remains in the hunt for the 1998 SEC hitting crown.

05/04/98 - Received this info yesterday from one of my sources:

From Saturday's MERIDIAN STAR:
Shane Kelly, of Meridian CC, signs with MSU - Shane, 6-0, 170-lbs, is currently hitting .395 with 12 homeruns, and 66 RBI. He has 70 hits including 16 doubles and 3 triples and 24 stolen bases. He said they are going to try him in centerfield. He signed with MSU out of high school, but came to MCC to get more playing time and work on his game and was hoping MSU would still be interested. He is from Petal, Miss.

05/04/98 - If you are a MSU Diamond Dawg fan, check out longtime fan Mike Colbert's Colbert Auto World homepage on the internet by clicking here. Mike has the perfect car or truck to ride on over to Dudy Noble Field in. Even if you aren't ready to buy a vehicle, Mike still would love to talk about the Diamond Dawgs with all of you Bulldog fans. I've had some great conversations with him in regard to our Diamond Dawgs.

05/03/98 - 18th ranked (soon to be higher ranked) Miss State (34-15, 13-12) defeated 3rd ranked South Carolina 10-4. As usual, super junior Brian Wiese delivered going 3-for-4 with two home runs (10th & 11th), 1 double and 4 RBI. Junior pitcher Jeremy Jackson pitched the first 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs. Super junior reliever Brian Compton, proving once again he just might be the top reliever in college baseball, completely shut down South Carolina over the final 4.2 innings, allowing 0 hits, 2 walks while striking out 9. His season's ERA is now 1.05. He has now allowed 1 earned run in his last 30.2 innings. For you non accountants, that is an ERA of 0.29.

Miss State and South Carolina conclude their three-game series today at Noon our time.

Miss State has now won 11 of their last 12 (5-1 on the road). Got a question for you. Who in the world will be the SEC player of the week for this week --- Brian Wiese or Matt Ginter? Hard to answer isn't it? I have been following MSU baseball for 20+ years and I have to say this team is absolutely playing as well as any I have ever seen. I can't remember a MSU team that had as much pitching as this one does ---- Ginter, Jackson, Reinike, Freed, Compton, Thoms, and Johnson. Plus, Estel looked good the other night. If the defense and offense keep doing well there is no telling what this team might do in the College World Series.

After State wins today, you Jackson Bulldog fans ought to go by and see Bulldog fan Ray Downey at CiCi's Pizza. There is no better way to celebrate a Bulldog victory than with a fellow Bulldog. CiCi's website can be found by clicking here.

05/02/98 - Miss State (33-15, 12-12) defeated South Carolina 16-0. Miss State has now won 10 of it's last 11. Included in these victories are 3 over two teams that are ranked in the top 10 in the nation: South Carolina and Auburn (both on the road).

The star of the game was sophomore pitcher Matt Ginter, now 4-3 on the season. Matt pitched MSU's first complete game victory of the season. During his 9 innings of pitching, Matt allowed 0 runs, 3 hits,and 3 walks while striking out 14. Matt has really come into his own. He is pitching as well as fromer Diamond Dawg Eric DuBose did in the later part of his freshman year. Bulldog pitchers have now allowed just 22 earned runs in the last 11 games.

Hitting stars were Travis Chapman - 4 hits, Richard Lee - 3 hits, Brad Freeman - 3 hits (home run), and Barry Patton - 3 hits.

Miss State and South Carolina continue their series today beginning at 7 p.m.

By the way, a longtime observer of Miss State baseball told me this MSU team is playing as well as any he has ever seen.

05/02/98 - According to a reliable source, North Florida CC slugging first baseman Scott Atwood will return to North Florida CC next season to finish his junior college career.

05/01/98 - Miss State and South Carolina, the two hottest teams in the SEC right now, begin a very important three-game SEC series tonight at Columbia, S. C. Game time is at 6 p.m. CDT.

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