STARKVILLE — Andy Cannizaro has never minced words when talking about his bullpen.
In the past, the Mississippi State baseball team’s first-year head coach’s focused on injuries and how they depleted his pitching staff. Of late, though, Cannizaro has talked with pride about his bullpen, even after it took a shot in the last 48 hours.
The bullpen will try to rebound from a roller-coaster week at 6 tonight when No. 22 MSU (20-11, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) plays host to No. 13 Kentucky (21-9. 7-2) in Game 1 of a three-game SEC weekend series at Dudy Noble Field. Game 2 will be at 6 p.m. Saturday. Game 3 will be at 1 p.m. Sunday. All of the games will be available on SEC Network+.
The series is part of MSU’s Super Bulldog Weekend, which includes the MSU football team’s Maroon & White Game. The MSU softball and men’s tennis teams also will play at home this weekend.
“It’s all hands on deck every single day, and I can’t speak highly enough of our bullpen of taking on this challenge we have this year,” Cannizaro said.
The bullpen allowed three earned runs and 11 hits in 16 2/3 innings in a three-game series sweep last weekend at Ole Miss. Closer Spencer Price saved all three games.
But the bullpen surrendered 10 earned runs and 20 hits to Florida International in 13 2/3 innings Tuesday and Wednesday. MSU split the series thanks to a two-run home run by Brent Rooker on Wednesday that gave MSU a 9-7 victory in 10 innings.
A lack of depth due to the injuries could have played a role in the bullpen’s performance against FIU. In addition to Price’s three appearances against Ole Miss, MSU used Jacob Barton and Riley Self twice. Denver McQuary also pitched three innings Saturday. Barton (2/3 of an inning), McQuary (three innings), Self (one innings), and Price (2 1/3) pitched Wednesday. Cannizaro knows managing the bullpen will be a key this weekend.
“It was a really taxing two days (against FIU),” he said. “I think the biggest thing we try to do is rest, try to get those guys off their feet. They’re probably not going to do a whole lot of throwing (Thursday).”
Barton isn’t making any excuses.
“We should be ready to pitch every day,” he said. “We were kind of tired, but for now, we’re all rested and feel like we’re ready to go for the bullpen.”
Price takes a similar approach. He said Thursday he thinks the bullpen will be “good to go tomorrow no matter what” for today’s series opener.
Barton said anytime he pitches in the first two games of a series, especially if he throws 20 or fewer pitches, he will visit a trainer for ice and a massage because he believes he likely will be used again in that weekend.
Cannizaro said the coaching staff has gone back and forth about how it wants to use its relievers. He said sticking to that plan will be key to keeping everyone healthy.
“I think the best thing we can do is get guys in as often as possible in short stints,” Cannizaro said. “Go get three, four or five outs and we’ll see you the next day or the following day.”
n NOTES: Cannizaro said freshman pitcher Graham Ashcraft had a MRI scan on his injured groin and was awaiting results Thursday morning. Cannizaro said it is unlikely Ashcraft will be available this weekend, but he doesn’t expect a prolonged absence. Ashcraft injured his groin Tuesday and left the game after three innings. … Cannizaro hopes second baseman Hunter Stovall can return to the lineup against Kentucky. Stovall has been out since March 17 with a hamstring injury. Cannizaro said Thursday’s practice would help determine Stovall’s availability. … After being named the SEC Player of the Week, Rooker added Midseason All-American honors from Perfect Game and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Player of the Month award for March. … This weekend will see the return of former MSU assistant coach Nick Mingione, who is now the head coach at Kentucky. Mingione replaced Gary Henderson, who is now MSU’s pitching coach. Henderson was head coach at Kentucky from 2009-2016. He replaced John Cohen after he left Kentucky for MSU. Cohen hired Henderson as his pitching coach after he resigned from Kentucky before he took the athletic director position.
n Ole Miss baseball team will play host to Alabama: At Oxford, the Ole Miss baseball team (17-12, 3-6) will play host to Alabama (14-16, 2-7) at 6:30 tonight in Game 1 of a three-game SEC weekend series at Swayze Field.
The series will be a part of Grove Bowl Weekend, which also will feature the Ole Miss football team’s Spring Game.
Game 2 will be at 3 p.m. Saturday following the Grove Bowl at 11 a.m. Sunday’s game will be at 3 p.m. (SEC Network).
Ole Miss is coming off a 6-5 victory against No. 21 Southern Miss in 12 innings Tuesday night. It has won five out of the last six games at home against Alabama, including a three-game sweep in 2013 on Grove Bowl weekend.
Ole Miss sophomore right-hander James McArthur (1-1, 2.00 earned run average) is scheduled to start tonight against sophomore left-hander Dylan Duarte (2-1, 2.48).
Ole Miss junior left-hander David Parkinson (4-2, 2.79) is scheduled to start against senior right-hander Nick Eicholtz (1-0, 5.96) on Saturday.
n Southern Mississippi will play host to Florida International: At Hattiesburg, the No. 21 Southern Mississippi baseball team (24-6, 8-1 Conference USA) will play host to Florida International (17-12, 5-4) at 6 tonight in Game 1 of a three-game C-USA weekend series at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
Game 2 will be at 2 p.m. Saturday. The final game of the series will be at noon Sunday.
Junior left-hander Kirk McCarty, Jr. (4-2, 2.80) is scheduled to start tonight for the Golden Eagles, who saw their six-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night in an extra-innings loss to Ole Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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