Mississippi State Baseball's Landon Sims Will Toss Ceremonial First Pitch in Friday Night's Game Against Tennessee
Mississippi State baseball announced that pitcher Landon Sims will throw out the ceremonial first pitch against Tennessee on Friday night.
Sims, one of the greatest pitchers in recent history for the Diamond Dawgs, will be making his first appearance on the mound since he suffered a season-ending UCL tear against Tulane on March 4. Although he won't be competing for the Maroon and White, his brief appearance will be a special treat for the fans.
The junior right-hander started three games for Mississippi State in the 2022 season. Through 15.2 innings of work, Sims gave up just 11 hits and five runs while striking out 27 and walking only two. He recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in the team's opening game against Long Beach State. He was on pace for another excellent outing against Tulane-- in 3.2 innings of action, he was throwing a no-hitter and had 10 strikeouts. Despite being unable to play for the Diamond Dawgs, Sims has served as a first base coach for the team.
Sims was a huge part of Mississippi State's historic national championship season in 2021. He served as the team's top relief pitcher and finished the season with a 5-0 record and 13 saves. Through 25 appearances on the year, Sims totaled 100 strikeouts and gave up just nine runs on 29 hits.
Now, Sims has the opportunity to take his incredible talents to the next level if he chooses to do so. Despite missing most of the season, he is projected to be an early pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Friday night's game between Mississippi State and Tennessee is set to begin at 6 p.m. CT. Sims will take the mound for his special moment a few minutes before the two teams face off.