Mississippi State Baseball Announces Starting Rotation for Opening Weekend Against Long Beach State

The starting rotation for the Bulldogs was announced on Thursday afternoon.

Mississippi State has revealed its starting pitchers for the Opening Weekend series against Long Beach State after weeks of speculation by fans.

The three right-handed pitchers all have experience on the mound for the Bulldogs. Each of them will have to make some big adjustments before the series kicks off: one of them served only as a closer last season, while the other two played primarily in midweek games. However, they have all proven themselves to be some of the best pitchers on the team over the last few weeks of scrimmages and practices.

MSU will take on Long Beach State beginning on Friday at 2 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field. Here are the official starting pitchers for each of the three series games this weekend.

Friday: RHP Landon Sims

As expected, Landon Sims will be starting for the Bulldogs on Friday afternoon. The 6-foot-2, 227-pound junior spent last season as one of the top closers in the nation, but his raw talent makes him just as valuable as a first-game starter. Sims was a driving force that helped MSU capture the national title last season. Through 25 appearances, he posted a 5-0 record with 13 saves and held opponents to a 1.44 earned run average. His 100 strikeouts in comparison to only 15 walked batters were among the best in the SEC. Sims might not be familiar with the starting spot, but his strength and command make him the best choice to start the Bulldogs off in the right direction.

Saturday: RHP KC Hunt

Hunt has never been a weekend starter, but he has certainly shown off his skills in the offseason. The junior out of Wyckoff, New Jersey, played in 14 games last season and pitched a total of 15 innings. He allowed a 4.80 earned run average and gave up 15 hits and 10 runs. His 14 strikeouts on the season are impressive, considering how little playing time he received. It seemed likely that Hunt would get this starting spot, considering how often his coaches had him taking the reigns in the preseason. Fans should quickly be able to see just how much he has improved and that he is ready to face challenging opponents.

Sunday: RHP Cade Smith

Out of the three starting pitchers to take the mound this weekend, Smith has the least experience. That doesn't mean that he can't hang with the older guys. In fact, Smith had some of the most outstanding performances in midweek games last season and is coming off of an impressive showing throughout the preseason. In 2021, he posted a 3-0 record with 10 appearances and one start. He gave up only five runs and held opponents to a batting average of just .115 with 20 strikeouts. Smith might only be a sophomore, but he has shown tremendous potential and can be a huge asset to the team. 

Here’s a little something to brighten up a rainy day…

𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/XMxdSgHnZT

— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) February 17, 2022