01/13/00 Go here to view pictures of the Dudy Noble / Polk-DeMent Stadium expansion.

01/29/00 - Tommy Lasorda, regarded by many as baseball's most popular ambassador, is the featured speaker at the third annual MSU Dugout Club First Pitch - Meet the Team Banquet set Friday, Feb. 4 on the Mississippi State University campus. Mississippi State's 2000 baseball team will be introduced and a host of former MSU players will be on hand for the event, set for a 7 p.m. start at the Colvard Student Union Ballroom.

A limited number of tickets ($25 per person) are available for the banquet through the MSU Athletic Department Ticket Office (662-325-2600).

Joining Lasorda on the banquet's program is former Bulldog All-American and current Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jeff Brantley. Brantley, a member of Mississippi State's heralded 1985 NCAA College World Series edition, is beginning his 13th season in the major leagues.

Lasorda compiled a 1,599-1,439 record, winning two World Championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles during an extraordinary 20-year career as the manager of the Dodgers. He is beginning his 51st season in the Dodger organization, his fifth as Vice President.

"We're delighted to welcome Tommy and Jeff to campus to help celebrate the beginning of a new century of Mississippi State baseball," said MSU head coach Pat McMahon. "It promises to be an entertaining evening of food, fun and fellowship."

Mississippi State begins preseason baseball practice Feb. 2 at Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium. MSU opens its 110th season of baseball Feb. 19, taking on the UAB Blazers in the opening round of the Coca-Cola Classic in Mobile, Ala.

Reprinted with permission from the MSU sports media relations deparment

01/28/00 (10:00 p.m.) - Due to the winter storm that has hit Starkville the past couple of days, MSU baseball has cancelled its winter baseball camp that was to take place Saturday and Sunday.

MSU also starts spring baseball practice early next week. I plan on attending the practices. I will post updates on the free site and the box score scrimmages and more expanded updates on the premium site.

01/26/00 - According to a source of mine, Independence (MS) High School has a junior righthander who has great potential. His name is Brett Cleveland. He is 6-2, 205 and has a fastball that has been clocked in the high 80's and even around 90 at times. He also plays in the field at 3B/SS/C and has led his team in hitting his freshman and sophomore years. He was named his high school MVP both years. The rumor is Major League scouts believes his best position is catcher. He has attended camps at LSU, Auburn, Alabama and Mississippi State.

01/21/00 (10:05 a.m.) - The Diamond Dogs start their spring practices next week. I will attend as many scrimmages as possible and give updates on the free site. I will have more extensive updates on my premium page.

01/17/00 (4:20 p.m.) - Michelle Gates' RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning brought in Kellie Wilkerson with the winning run as the White squad took advantage of timely hits to defeat the Maroon squad 4-1 Monday afternoon at Bulldog Diamond.

Gates and Wilkerson paced the White squad offensively with 2-3 performances at the plate while White team starter Kasey Whitehead scattered five hits over a complete game seven innings to notch the victory. Five different players for the Maroon squad recorded one hit apiece.

The scrimmage marked the first of the spring season for the Bulldogs who will open their 2000 campaign with an exhibition against Mississippi University for Women on February 5 at 1 p.m. Mississippi State will open its 2000 regular season on February 11 when it travels to Phoenix, Ariz., to take part in the 18-team Fiesta Bowl Tournament.

"We were very pleased with the first scrimmage of the season," said Mississippi State head coach Kathy Arendsen. "We still have a long ways to go, but they are working very hard in practice. I thought the defense played very well today."

Gates' lead off triple in the bottom of the second, followed by a wild pitch by Maroon starter Jennifer Nelson, gave the White team a quick 1-0 lead. But, Maroon answered in the top of the third when Keri McCallum laced a triple that plated A.J. Lott from third with the game-tying run.

After already securing the victory with a scoreless top of the seventh by the Maroon team, White scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on consecutive sacrifice flies by newcomers Becca Richards and Jennifer Jessup for the 4-1 final.

Reprinted with permission from the MSU sports media relations department

01/17/00 - The Mississippi State softball team will hold its first scrimmage of the Spring season Monday afternoon as it divides itself into Maroon and White teams for an intra-squad game at Bulldog Diamond. First pitch is set for 1:45 p.m.

Despite only beginning spring workouts on Tuesday, head coach Kathy Arendsen has been pleased with the effort thus far. Monday's scrimmage will consist of live hitting and pitching in a seven-inning game format.

"I'm very pleased with the first week of work," said Mississippi State head coach Kathy Arendsen. "The players are really focused and they know that we have a lot of work to do. But, they have been really going at it."

Mississippi State returns seven starters off of last season's 38-29 campaign which saw the Bulldogs fall a few picks short of an NCAA Regional bid, despite storming into the SEC Tournament semifinals.

"I don't use the words 'championship team' very easily," Arendsen said. "I hesitate to put a lot of pressure on these kids, but I also feel urgency. I know that they have a sense of urgency that, for seven of these kids, this is their last chance. They have worked. They have built this program. They have done anything and everything we have ever asked them to do."

MONDAY'S SCRIMMAGE LINEUPS

MAROON TEAM
1. Keri McCallum - C
2. Jennifer Nelson - P
3. Jenny Hehnke - 2B
4. Nichole Henry - 1B
5. Karrie Rider - SS
6. Jennifer Pursell - LF
7. A.J. Lott - RF
8. Nicole Moschetti - 3B
9. Kendell Kimbrough - CF

WHITE TEAM
1. Jennifer Jessup - SS
2. Brooke Best - 2B
3. Kellie Wilkerson - CF
4. Michelle Gates - 3B
5. Kasey Whitehead - P
6. Cheri Smith - 1B
7. Robynn Goodwin - C
8. Robyn Schlagheck - DP
9. Chris Bushby - LF
-. Becca Richards - RF

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU sports media relations department

01/13/00 (2:10 p.m.) - Click here to see baseball expansion pictures as of yesterday.

01/03/00 (10:00 a.m.) - Mississippi State baseball will be having its year 2000 winter baseball camps this month. To sign up for the camps, call 662-325-3597. I have also included a graphic which contains additional info on the camp. Click here to go to it....

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