MOUNT ST. MARY'S (2-1) at MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-4)
Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Miss.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014, 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014, 4:00 p.m.
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MOUNT UPDATE: Mount St. Mary's has opened the season with a 2-1 record, defeating Lehigh (7-6, 12 inn.) while splitting a pair of games with Davidson (W, 8-2; L, 0-11). Zach Hostetter hit .500 (6-for-12) to pace the Mount offense in the three games. On the mound, the Mount bullpen picked up a pair of wins, led by Nick Riley (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP), Austin Bonadio (0-0, .00 ERA, 3.1 IP) and Jordan Lawson (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP).
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE: Mississippi State has started the season with a 4-4 record after splitting a four-game series with Holy Cross last weekend. Wes Rea has been the top hitter for the Bulldogs so far, posting a .310 average with three home runs and 15 RBI in eight games. On the mound, Trevor Fitts is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts. Ben Bracewell (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.1 IP) is expected to start game one against the Mount.
THE MOUNT VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE: This will be the first-ever meeting between the Mount and Mississippi State. In fact, this will be the Mount's first ever games against a Southeastern Conference opponent.
GOOD START: The Mountaineers opened the season with wins over Lehigh and Davidson, marking the first time since 2006 the Mount has posted a 2-0 start to the year. This is also the second consecutive year that the Mountaineers have opened the season by winning two of the first three games. Last year, the Mount took two of three from Iona at home in the opening series on Feb. 15-16.
HOSTETTER NAMED PLAYER/ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Redshirt freshman Zach Hostetter was named the Northeast Conference Player and Rookie of the Week on Monday. Hostetter hit .500 in helping lead the Mount to a 2-1 week to open the year. He started all three games for the Mount in left field, hitting .500 (6-for-12) with three doubles, three RBI, two runs scored and game-winning hits against Lehigh and Davidson. Against Lehigh, his walk-on single in the bottom of the 12th lifted the Mountaineers to a 7-6 victory. Hostetter finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate in his collegiate debut. The following day, Hostetter again provided the Mount with clutch hits in an 8-2 victory over Davidson. His RBI double in the top of the fifth helped the Mount cut a 2-0 deficit in half. He later came around to score the tying run. In the top of the ninth, his RBI two-out double broke the 2-2 tie, and sparked a six-run inning as the Mount ran away with the victory. He closed out the week with a 2-for-3 day in the Mount's loss to Davidson on Sunday.
WELCOME BACK: Graduate student Karl Lamont started the Mount's season-opener against Lehigh. Lamont, who missed the 2013 season with an arm injury, allowed four runs while striking out two in 2.2 innings of work.
THIS AND THAT: Zach Hostetter went 6-for-12 (.500) with three doubles and three RBI over the Mount over the weekend…Kory Britton went 4-for-12 with two runs scored in three starts last weekend…Freshman Andrew Frazier hit .308 (4-for-13) with two stolen bases in his first three collegiate starts…Jordan Lawson pitched three scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts to pick up the win in the Mount's 7-6 win over Lehigh…The Mount pitching staff has struck out 26 batters in 29 innings so far this year.
PRESEASON PICKS: The Mountaineers were selected to finish in sixth place in the annual Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches poll. Defending champion Bryant was a unanimous pick to finish first, followed by Sacred Heart, Central Connecticut St., LIU Brooklyn, Wagner, the Mount and Fairleigh Dickinson.
UP NEXT: The Mount will host Penn State for three games on March 1-2 at Straw Family Stadium on campus.
