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Cowbell Corner

How to Watch Mississippi State Baseball’s Last Midweek Game of 2026

No. 11 Mississippi State returns home to face Nicholls in a midweek game airing on SECN+ before Auburn arrives Thursday.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State players huddle before a game against LSU at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville.
Mississippi State players huddle before a game against LSU at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. | Mississippi State Athletics

No. 11 Mississippi State is back home with a little urgency in its step.

At this point in the season, even the midweek games feel heavier, and Tuesday’s matchup with Nicholls comes at a moment when every inning matters for a team trying to steady itself after a hard‑fought weekend at Texas.

The Bulldogs are still sitting comfortably inside the national top 12, but this is a week where the schedule tightens.

Auburn arrives Thursday for a top‑10 showdown, which turns the Nicholls game into more than a routine non‑conference stop. It’s a chance to reset, clean up some details, and make sure Sunday’s rough finish in Austin doesn’t bleed into the final stretch of regular season.

Mississippi State has been strong at home all spring, carrying a 23‑6 record at Dudy Noble Field and eight wins in its last ten games. Tuesday is about keeping that edge while managing the moment, because the next few days will come fast.

Here’s everything to know about Tuesday night’s game.

The Opponent: Nicholls

Nicholls comes in at 25-22 and sitting fifth in the Southland, and their profile looks a lot like a team that can make things uncomfortable if you let them. The Colonels played a busy week, sweeping a doubleheader from Southeastern Baptist before dropping a midweek game at Louisiana and then losing a home series to New Orleans.

They spread the production around. Four different hitters have at least 50 hits, and three are over .300. Nico Rijo‑Berger leads the way at .340 with 51 hits and 27 RBI, while Greyson Shafer and Caston Thompson both sit just over .300 with 50‑plus hits and double‑digit home runs. Keegan Giger has been their most consistent table‑setter with a team‑high 56 hits and 39 RBI.

Nicholls also has enough speed to force mistakes. The Colonels are 51‑for‑63 in stolen bases, matching Mississippi State’s total and giving them another way to apply pressure if they get traffic on the bases.

Pitching Matchup

LHP Austin Vargas vs. RHP Chris Billingsley Jr.

Vargas: 0-2, 7.50 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 24 IP, 28 H, 28 R, 20 ER, 22 BB, 24 SO, .289 Opp. BA
Billingsley: 1-0, 4.87 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 20.1 IP, 17 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 12 BB, 15 SO, .221 Opp. BA

Mississippi State Batting Lineup

TBA

Weather Forecast

Mother Nature looks like she’ll be helping fly balls fly even farther Tuesday evening at Dudy Noble Field. The National Weather Service forecasts a south wind of 10-15 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph. That’ll send the wind blowing out to left field. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 80s.

How to Watch: Nicholls at No. 10 Mississippi State

  • Who: Nicholls Colonels (25-22, 15-12 SEC) at No. 11 Mississippi State Bulldogs (36-12, 14-10 SEC)
  • When: 6 p.m., Tuesday
  • Where: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Miss.
  • TV: SECN+
  • Radio: Live Radio
  • Stats: Live Stats
  • Series History: Mississippi State leads the all-time series 12-1
  • Last Meeting: Mississippi State 2, Nicholls 1 (March 12, 2025)
  • Last time out, Bulldogs: lost to No. 4 Texas, 11-6
  • Last time out, Colonels: lost to New Orleans, 12-10
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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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