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How To Watch No. 10 Mississippi State Baseball At No. 4 Texas Series Opener

Mississippi State and Texas meet in a key SEC series with the top of the league standings packed tightly. Here’s how to watch and what to know.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State coach Brian O'Connor stands in the dugout at Trustmark Park during the 2026 Governor's Cup.
Mississippi State coach Brian O'Connor stands in the dugout at Trustmark Park during the 2026 Governor's Cup. | Andy Hodges/Mississippi State On SI

UPDATE: Due to rain in Austin, first-pitch of Friday's series-opener between Mississippi State and Texas has been postponed to 7:30 p.m.

Mississippi State is stepping into its toughest stretch of the season, and it starts deep in the heart of Texas.

The Bulldogs head to Austin this weekend for a top‑five matchup with No. 4 Texas, the first of three straight Top 10 opponents waiting for them in May.

Texas sits just a half‑game ahead of Mississippi State in a league race where the top five teams are separated by a single game. It’s the kind of series that can swing the standings in a hurry.

For Mississippi State, this is the first ranked SEC opponent since the Georgia sweep in early April. The maroon-colored Bulldogs have won nine straight since then and look like a team that’s found its rhythm again.

Now they get a chance to prove it against one of the best lineups and pitching staffs in the country.

Here’s how to watch the weekend and what to know heading into Friday’s opener in Austin.

The Opponent: No. 4 Texas

Texas comes in at 33‑9 and has been almost unbeatable at home, dropping only three of 26 games in Austin. The Longhorns are 13‑7 in SEC play, sitting a half‑game ahead of Mississippi State for third place. They’ve looked dominant for most of the season, but the last few weeks have shown some cracks. Texas has split its last eight league games and needed a three‑run ninth inning Tuesday to escape Sam Houston 15‑14. They were also swept in a weather‑shortened two‑game set at Texas A&M earlier in April.

Offensively, Texas is hitting .299, fifth in the SEC, but only three regulars are above .300. Freshman Anthony Pack leads the team at .362, followed by Aiden Robbins at .357 and catcher Carson Tinney at .338. The Longhorns sit eighth in the league in home runs.

On the mound, Texas owns a 3.69 ERA, third in the SEC and just behind Mississippi State. They strike out plenty of hitters but have allowed an SEC‑high 74 doubles, which plays into one of MSU’s strengths. Don’t read too much into Tuesday’s 14 runs allowed. In league play, Texas has held opponents to three or fewer runs in five of its last six games.

Defensively, Texas fields .978, sixth in the SEC, but they’re last in the league at throwing out base stealers.

Starting Pitchers

LHP Tomas Valincius vs. LHP Dylan Volantis

  • Valincius: 7-1, 2.13 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 63.1 IP, 50 H, 21 R, 15 ER, 14 BB, 87 SO, .212 Opp. BA
  • Volantis: 6-0, 2.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 56.2 IP, 41 H, 14 R, 13 ER, 17 BB, 80 SO, .193 Opp. BA

Mississippi State Batting Lineup

TBA

Texas Batting Lineup

TBA

Weather Forecast

Austin is spending much of Friday covered in rain clouds and showers, putting the series-opener in doubt. But both teams would rather play Friday and not disrupt their weekend starters’ weekly schedules. There’s a flood watch in place until 9 p.m. and rain is in the forecast until 7 p.m.

From the National Weather Service, “Showers likely, mainly before 7pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.”

How to Watch: No. 10 Mississippi State at No. 4 Texas

  • Who: No. 10 Mississippi State Bulldogs (35-10, 13-8 SEC) at No. 4 Texas Longhorns (33-9, 13-7 SEC)
  • When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
  • Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Austin, Texas
  • TV: SECN+
  • Radio: Live Radio
  • Stats: Live Stats
  • Series History: Texas leads the all-time series 9-7
  • Last Meeting: Ole Miss 5, Arkansas 2 (2025 SEC Tournament)
  • Last time out, Bulldogs: def. No. 17 Ole Miss, 7-3
  • Last time out, Longhorns: def. Sam Houston, 15-14

Student-Athlete Availability Report

Mississippi State

Out

  • P #28 Ryan McPherson

Texas

Out

  • OF #9 Jonah Williams
  • OF #42 Dariyan Pendergrass
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Published | Modified
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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