The 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented the Mississippi State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Dudy Noble Field. Due to construction of the new Dudy Noble Field, the first home game was not played until March 6, to give construction crews time to finish the bottom seating of the stadium. The new Dudy Noble Field in its entirety was not completed until the 2019 season.

Personnel

Coaching staff 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staffAndy Cannizaro – Head Coach (first 3 games) – 2nd year Gary Henderson – Pitching Coach – 2nd year; Interim Head Coach (starting game 4) Jake Gautreau – Assistant Coach – 1st year Mike Brown – Coordinator of Camps/Volunteer Assistant – 2nd year A.J. Gaura – Coordinator of Baseball Player Development – 1st year Trevor Fitts – Coordinator of Baseball Operations – 1st year Justin Aguiar – Coordinator of Video & Analytics - 1st year

Schedule and results 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball game log Regular season (31–24) February (3–5) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC recordFeb. 16 at #25 #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 0–11 Nick Sandlin (1–0) Konnor Pilkington (0–1) none 4,948 0–1 –Feb. 17 at #25 Southern Miss #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 4–7 Jarod Wright (1–0) Ethan Small (0–1) none 4,988 0–2 – Feb. 18 at #25 Southern Miss #13 Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS L 2–5 Jacob Weirich (1–0) Zach Neff (0–1) Matt Wallner (1) 4,970 0–3 – Feb. 21 at Braddy Field • Jackson, MS W 12–1 JP France (1–0) Mark Watson (0–1) none 347 1–3 –Feb. 23 vs. Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 7–4 Konnor Pilkington (1–1) Jack Dashwood (0–1) Blake Smith (1) 1,761 2–3 –Feb. 24 vs. Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 14–4 Ethan Small (1–1) Parker White (0–1) Denver McQuary (1) 1,134 3–3 –Feb. 25 at Kleberg Bank College Classic Whataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX L 3–6 Chad Romere (1–0) Zach Neff (0–2) Chris Cooper (2) 1,898 3–4 –Feb. 26 at Texas Rio Grande Valley UTRGV Baseball Stadium • Edinburg, TX Canceled in bottom 4th, heavy fogFeb. 28 at Cowboy Diamond • Lake Charles, LA L 3–6 Tyler Wesley (1–1) Keegan James (0–1) Grant Anderson (1) 1,843 3–5 – March (11–10) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC recordMar. 2 vs. Louisiana Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 3–1 Cole Gordon (1–0) Brock Batty (2–1) none 4,972 4–5 –Mar. 3 vs. Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 3–2 12 Blake Smith (1–0) Brayson Hurdsman (0–1) none 6,796 5–5 –Mar. 4 vs. Shriners College Classic Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX W 4–1 Jacob Billingsley (1–0) Seth Ballew (0–1) Cole Gordon (1) 5,414 6–5 –Mar. 6 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 9–1 Cole Marsh (1–0) Brock Whittlesey (1–3) Denver McQuary (2) SECN+ 7,179 7–5 –Mar. 7 New Mexico State Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–0 Zach Neff (1–2) Alex Pinedo (0–1) none SECN+ 5,117 8–5 –Mar. 9 (DH-1) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–2 11 Fabian Palacios (1–0) Cole Gordon (1–1) Drew Hill (3) SECN+ 5,468 8–6 –Mar. 9 Utah Valley (DH-2) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–2 Keegan James (1–1) Ondrej Sebek (0–1) Blake Smith (2) SECN+ 5,468 9–6 –Mar. 10 Utah Valley Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Moved to 3/9, impending weatherMar. 11 Utah Valley Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3 Jacob Billingsley (2–0) Walker Ramsey (1–3) JP France (1) SECN+ 4,727 10–6 –Mar. 14 vs. MGM Park • Biloxi, MS L 5–11 Corey Gaconi (1–0) Keegan James (1–2) none 3,318 10–7 –Mar. 16 #11 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 0–5 Drake Fellows (3–0) Konnor Pilkington (1–2) Zach King (1) SECN 4,860 10–8 0–1Mar. 17 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–10 Patrick Raby (2–2) Ethan Small (1–2) none SECN+ 6,218 10–9 0–2Mar. 18 #11 Vanderbilt Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–4 Mason Hickman (4–0) Jacob Billingsley (2–1) Tyler Brown (2) SECN+ 4,569 10–10 0–3Mar. 20 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 17–1 Zach Neff (2–2) Regynold Johnson (0–1) none SECN+ 4,295 11–10 –Mar. 21 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–6 Cole Gordon (2–1) Peyton Schneider (0–5) none SECN+ 4,713 12–10 –Mar. 23 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO L 1–4 T. J. Sikkema (2–0) Konnor Pilkington (1–3) Andy Toelken (1) SECN+ 406 12–11 0–4Mar. 24 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO W 3–1 15 Blake Smith (2–0) Tyler LaPlante (3–1) none SECN+ 406 13–11 1–4Mar. 25 at #25 Missouri Taylor Stadium • Columbia, MO L 4–5 11 Andy Toelken (3–2) JP France (1–1) none SECN+ 496 13–12 1–5Mar. 27 at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4–7 Bryan Taylor (2–3) Denver McQuary (0–1) none 674 13–13 –Mar. 29 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 1–10 Zack Hess (4–3) Konnor Pilkington (1–4) none SECN 10,532 13–14 1–6Mar. 30 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA W 4–1 Ethan Small (2–2) Caleb Gilbert (3–2) Cole Gordon (2) SECN+ 11,132 14–14 2–6Mar. 31 at #19 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 0–4 Ma'Khail Hilliard (6–1) Jacob Billingsley (2–2) Nick Bush (1) SECN+ 11,133 14–15 2–7 April (10–6) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC recordApril 4 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–0 Riley Self (1–0) John Guienze (0–2) none SECN+ 4,886 15–15 –April 6 #5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Postponed to 4/7, inclement weatherApril 7 #5 Ole Miss (DH-1) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–3 Konnor Pilkington (2–4) Brady Feigl (6–2) none SECN+ 6,168 16–15 3–7April 7 #5 Ole Miss (DH-2) Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–6 Ryan Rolison (4–3) Ethan Small (2–3) none SECN+ 6,168 16–16 3–8April 8 #5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–5 11 Blake Smith (3–0) Will Stokes (1–1) none SECN+ 6,059 17–16 4–8April 11 at Wheeler–Watkins Baseball Complex • Montgomery, AL W 15–4 Denver McQuary (1–1) Ivanniel Vazquez (1–4) none 1,502 18–16 –April 13 at Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 1–2 Casey Mize (7–1) Konnor Pilkington (2–5) none SECN 3,831 18–17 4–9April 14 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 7–2 Ethan Small (3–3) Davis Daniel (2–3) none SECN+ 4,045 19–17 5–9April 15 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 5–7 Cody Greenhill (2–1) Cole Gordon (2–2) none SECN+ 2,904 19–18 5–10April 18 vs. AutoZone Park • Memphis, TN L 1–6 Connor Alexander (2–2) Denver McQuary (1–2) Hunter Smith (2) 3,027 19–19 –April 20 #6 Arkansas Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–5 JP France (2–1) Matt Cronin (2–1) none SECN+ 7,303 20–19 6–10April 21 #6 Arkansas (DH-1) Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3 Ethan Small (4–3) Kacey Murphy (5–3) Blake Smith (3) SECN+ 10,147 21–19 7–10April 21 #6 Arkansas (DH-2) Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–5 Jacob Billingsley (3–2) Isaiah Campbell (3–4) Zach Neff (1) SECN+ 10,147 22–19 8–10April 22 #6 Arkansas Super Bulldog Weekend Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS Moved to 4/21, impending weatherApril 24 vs. #8 Ole Miss Governor's Cup Trustmark Park • Pearl, MS W 7–6 Cole Gordon (3–2) Parker Caracci (2–2) none SECN 8,515 23–19 –April 27 #22 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–6 Kaylor Chafin (3–0) JP France (2–2) Nolan Hoffman (8) SECN+ 5,784 23–20 8–11April 28 #22 Texas A&M Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–6 Ethan Small (5–3) John Doxakis (6–2) Zach Neff (2) SECN+ 7,017 24–20 9–11April 29 #22 Texas A&M Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 4–7 Stephen Kolek (4–4) Jacob Billingsley (3–3) Nolan Hoffman (9) SECN 5,555 24–21 9–12 May (7–3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SEC recordMay 4 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 14–12 10 Zach Neff (3–2) Deacon Medders (0–3) none SECN+ 3,411 25–21 10–12May 5 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 3–4 10 Sam Gardner (2–2) Cole Gordon (3–3) none SECN+ 4,631 25–22 10–13May 6 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 6–4 JP France (3–2) Kyle Cameron (1–2) none ESPNU 4,637 26–22 11–13May 9 vs. Hoover Metropolitan Stadium • Hoover, AL W 9–8 10 Riley Self (2–0) CJ Carter (6–4) none 2,562 27–22 –May 11 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY L 6–9 Sean Hjelle (7–4) Konnor Pilkington (2–6) Chris Machamer (10) ESPNU 4,303 27–23 11–14May 12 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY L 1–4 Jimmy Ramsey (3–1) JP France (3–3) none SECN 4,416 27–24 11–15May 13 at Kentucky Cliff Hagan Stadium • Lexington, KY W 18–8 Jacob Billingsley (4–3) Brad Schaenzer (1–2) none SECN 4,096 28–24 12–15May 17 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–3 Riley Self (3–0) Michael Byrne (2–1) none SECN+ 5,100 29–24 13–15May 18 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–4 JP France (4–3) Jack Leftwich (4–4) none ESPNU 5,901 30–24 14–15May 19 #1 Florida Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–6 Blake Smith (1–0) Jackson Kowar (9–3) Cole Gordon (3) ESPNU 6,291 31–24 15–15 Post-season (8–5) (0–1) Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SECT RecordMay 22 vs. (8) LSU (9) Hoover Metropolitan Stadium • Hoover, AL L 5–8 Devin Fontenot (2–0) JP France (4–4) Todd Peterson (5) SECN 8,072 31–25 0–1 (4–1) Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record NCAAT recordJune 1 vs. (3) Oklahoma (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL L 10–20 Kyle Tyler (6–2) JP France (4–5) none ESPNU 3,238 31–26 0–1June 2 at (1) #15 Florida State (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 3–2 Riley Self (4–0) Drew Parrish (5–1) none ESPN2 3,319 32–26 1–1June 3 vs. (4) Samford (DH-1) (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 9–8 Jacob Billingsley (5–3) Wyatt Burns (5–4) JP France (2) ESPN2 3,196 33–26 2–1June 3 vs. (3) Oklahoma (DH-2) (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 13–5 Cole Gordon (4–3) Devon Perez (5–6) none ESPNU 3,109 34–26 3–1June 4 vs. (3) Oklahoma (2) Dick Howser Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 8–1 JP France (5–5) Levi Prater (3–4) Riley Self (1) ESPN2 3,103 35–26 4–1 (2–1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record NCAAT recordJune 8 at #15 #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN W 10–8 Riley Self (5–0) Zach King (1–4) none ESPN2 3,626 36–26 5–1June 9 at #15 Vanderbilt #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN L 3–4 Chandler Day (2–1) Zach Neff (3–3) none ESPN 3,626 36–27 5–2June 10 at #15 Vanderbilt #16 Hawkins Field • Nashville, TN W 10–6 11 Denver McQuary (2–2) Tyler Brown (1–5) none ESPN2 3,626 37–27 6–2 (2–2) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record CWS recordJune 16 vs. #7 Washington #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE W 1–0 Zach Neff (4–3) Alex Hardy (5–3) none ESPN 24,758 38–27 1–0June 18 vs. (6) #3 North Carolina #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE Postponed to 6/19, inclement weatherJune 19 vs. (6) #3 North Carolina #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE W 12–2 Konnor Pilkington (3–6) Austin Bergner (7–3) Cole Gordon (4) ESPN2 13,387 39–27 2–0June 22 vs. (3) #1 Oregon State #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE L 2–12 Brandon Eisert (5–3) Jacob Billingsley (5–4) none ESPN 21,002 39–28 2–1June 23 vs. (3) #1 Oregon State #8 TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE L 2–5 Kevin Abel (6–1) Ethan Small (5–4) none ESPN 21,821 39–29 2–2 † Indicates the game does not count toward the 2018 Southeastern Conference standings. *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

Record vs. conference opponents

Rankings

MLB draft Player Position Round Overall MLB team Konnor Pilkington LHP 3 81 Chicago White Sox J P France RHP 14 432 Houston Astros Hunter Stovall 2B 21 636 Colorado Rockies Ethan Small† LHP 26 789 Arizona Diamondbacks Zach Neff LHP 31 934 Minnesota Twins Jake Mangum‡ LHP 32 950 New York Mets Jacob Billingsley RHP 32 972 Houston Astros