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Weather forces schedule change for Mississippi State baseball on Opening Weekend

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•about 12 hours•

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Dudy Noble Field

Opening Day at Dudy Noble Field will have double the fun this season as weather plans have forced a change in schedule for the first weekend series.

Mississippi State and Manhattan will now play a double-header on Friday beginning with a Noon first pitch. Game two of the series will take place just 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Saturday is now a complete wash at the ballpark with forecasted weather not looking promising for baseball. Rain has pelted Starkville this week and more is expected on Saturday with severe weather also possible. Sunday’s game three is set to take place at 1 p.m. as the rain moves out of the area but could be a cold day at the park with temperatures set to only reach the high 40s and a low on Sunday in the 20s.

State will throw out Pico Kohn for game on Friday as the starting pitcher for the Diamond Dawgs. Kohn enters this season ready to lead the Bulldogs on the mound after throwing in nine games last year with eight starts. He finished 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 35 strikeouts with 11 walks in 29.1 innings.

Kohn came into the fold in the middle of the season after missing all of 2023 and the first part of 2024 following elbow surgery. He rounded into form late in the year and started the final game of the year against Virginia in the Charlottesville Region with 7.0 strong innings.

State will start Karson Ligon in game two as he gets a shot at the weekend rotation following a bullpen role for most of last year. Ligon did start in two games but never reached his potential after transferring from Miami. Ligon has his opportunity early this year and brings a high 90s fastball to the table.

On Sunday, State starts veteran six-year pitcher Stone Simmons. Following two seasons on the shelf with Tommy John, Simmons makes his return to the mound for the Diamond Dawgs and will pitch this weekend for the first time since March of 2022.

All games can be seen on SEC Network + this weekend.

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