Bulldogs Earn National Seed For NCAA Tournament

STARKVILLE, Miss. (Miss. St. Athletics) – For the second time in program history, the Mississippi State baseball program has earned a national seed for the NCAA Baseball Championship, garnering the No. 6 national seed on the Road to Omaha in 2019.

The top seed in the Starkville Regional, MSU earned the No. 6 national seed to tie its highest national seed since the NCAA began the practice in 1999. The Bulldogs also took the No. 6 seed into the 2016 NCAA Baseball Championship, winning the 2016 Starkville Regional before dropping the NCAA Starkville Super Regional to eventual national runner-up Arizona.

Miami (Fla.) earned an at-large bid and the No. 2 seed in the Starkville Regional and will play No. 3 seed and Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan in the opening round. State will face No. 4 seed and SWAC champion Southern its first game of the Starkville Regional.

Mississippi State (46-13) and Southern (32-22) will open the tournament at Noon CT, with Miami (Fla.)  (39-18) and Central Michigan (46-12) playing the second game on the opening day at 7 p.m. CT. The winner of the Starkville Regional will advance to meet the winner of the Stanford Regional hosted by No. 11 national seed Stanford.

Practice rounds and press conferences are set for Thursday in advance of Friday’s opening round.

Mississippi State is making its 38th NCAA Tournament appearance and hosting a regional for the 14th time in school history.

The Bulldogs are among the national-leading 10 teams from the Southeastern Conference included in this year’s 64-team tournament field, with three selected as national seeds and six chosen as host sites. Overall, 12 of Mississippi State’s 2019 opponents made the field of 64, with State owning an 21-12 record against teams in the 2019 NCAA Baseball Championship field.

NCAA Starkville Regional Schedule

Friday, May 31

Game 1 – Noon CT – No. 1 Mississippi State vs. No. 4 Southern (SEC Network)

Game 2 – 7 p.m. CT – No. 2 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 3 Central Michigan (ESPN3)

Saturday, June 1

Game 3 – Noon CT – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser

Game 4 – 6 p.m. CT – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner

Sunday, June 2

Game 5 – 2 p.m. CT – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser

Game 6 – 8 p.m. CT – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner

Monday, June 3

If Necessary – 6 p.m. CT – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser