2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team

The 2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2008. The team was coached by Ron Polk, in his 35th year as a collegiate head coach, and his 29th at Mississippi State. During mid-season, Coach Polk announced he would resign effective at the conclusion of the season. Following the conclusion of the season, former MSU standout and University of Kentucky Head Baseball coach John Cohen was announced by incoming AD Greg Bryne as the new Mississippi State Baseball Coach for 2009.

2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWest
2008 record23-33 (9-21 SEC)
Head coach
Hitting coachTommy Raffo
Pitching coachRuss McNickle
Home stadiumDudy Noble Field
2008 Southeastern Conference baseball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Eastern
No. 2 Georgia xy 209 .690  4525 .643
Florida y 1713 .567  3424 .586
No. 25 Kentucky y 1614 .533  4419 .698
Vanderbilt y 1514 .517  4122 .651
South Carolina y 1515 .500  4023 .635
Tennessee   1218 .400  2729 .482
Western
No. 6 LSU xy 1811 .621  4919 .721
Alabama y 1614 .533  3528 .556
Ole Miss y 1515 .500  3926 .600
Arkansas y 1415 .483  3424 .586
Auburn   1119 .367  2828 .500
Mississippi State   921 .300  2333 .411
x Division champion
Conference champion
Tournament champion
y Invited to the NCAA Tournament
As of June 30, 2008[1]; Rankings from Coaches' Poll

Pre-Season

The 2008 version of the Mississippi State Bulldogs Baseball team were looking to build on the success of the 2007 MSU Baseball Campaign after advancing to the College World Series. Based upon the achievements the year before, the recruiting class of 2008 was ranked 26th by Collegiate Baseball[2] The team was predicted to finish second in the SEC West Mississippi State was ranked 24th in the preseason NCBWA poll,[3] 23rd in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll,[4] and 19th in the Rivals.com preseason poll[5]

Infielder Brandon Turner was named to the 2008 preseason Louisville Slugger TPX 2008 All-America second team[6] and to the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list.[7] Pitcher Aaron Weatherford was named to the preseason watch list for the NCWBA Stopper of the Year Award.[8] Turner and Weatherford were both named to the preseason watch list for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award.[9]

Roster and Stats

Coaches

Name Title First Season at MSU Alma Mater
Ron Polk[10] Head Coach 1976 Grand Canyon College (1965)
Russ McNickle[11] Assistant Coach 2002 University of South Alabama (1988)
Tommy Raffo[12] Assistant Coach 1998 Mississippi State University (1990)
Wade Hedges[13] Volunteer Assistant Coach 2004 Florida Southern College (1996)

Players

#PlayerPosBTYRHometownGABHAVGHRRBIBBSBFLD%
2Brandon Turner2BLRSOCleveland, TN8235.21714001.000
3Grant HogueOFSRJRHattiesburg, MS5519763.3200132125.943
5Russ Sneed3B/SSRRSOSenatobia, MS5621559.274226315.940
7Ryan PowersSS/2BRRFRBeacon, NY409222.239010120.944
8Brooks LewisCRRJRHeidelberg, MS23174.2350230.980
11Tyler Moore1BRRJRBrandon, MS5620461.2991446215.982
13Jet ButlerSS/2BSRSOPensacola, FL5518149.271124160.953
14Ryan DuffyCLRSOWest Melbourne, FL4212137.30672540.980
15Mark GoforthOFLRJRCovington, TN4610131.3070101231.000
16Will Coggin2BRRJRBooneville, MS840.00001101.000
18Jason NappiOFRRFRBirmingham, AL5319754.274837321.897
19Andy RiceOFLLSRAmory, MS316116.2621980.972
20Nick HardyOFRRJRFlora, MS.497620.263213142.950
23Cade HoggardOFRRSOOxford, MS20181.05600501.000
25Connor Powers3BRRSONaperville, IL3513547.3481138182.915
26Scott DeLoachCRRJRMadison, MS5111.00000001.000
27Jeff FlaggOFRRJRJacksonville, FL34509.18016901.000
29Cody FreemanCRRFRCollinsville, MS3811636.3102201511.000
36Johnny AllenCRRJRGrenada, MS224712.2550540.979
38Ryan CollinsOFLLFRCallaway, FL4311941.345323263.983
45Michael BusbyP/SSRRFRVicksburg, MS343.75001001.000

Pitchers

#PlayerTYrHometownGGSIPWLSVERAHBBSOFLD%
4Forrest MooreLFRBaton Rouge, LA19445.11208.14523946.900
6Justin PigottLSRPicayune, MS9944.22305.045116441.000
9Greg HoustonRSOHoover, AL14225.20107.364416181.000
10Andy WilsonLSRColumbus, GA16135.03005.66401327.778
12Tyler WhitneyLSOLakeland, TN10520.002010.802919201.000
17Chad CrosswhiteRJRBrandon, MS191153.13509.96822736.909
24Jared KoonRJRTupelo, MS201.200010.802101.000
30John LalorRSRGermantown, TN21242.13313.193814561.000
31Ricky BowenRSOJasper, AL151373.13607.61844164.889
32Aaron WeatherfordRJRCrystal Springs, MS18031.23170.851010621.000
34Jesse CarverLSRStarkville, MS15233.21109.095714271.000
35Jared WessonLJRTupelo, MS714.201019.297123--
41Lee SwindleRJREupora, MS11435.12306.375214131.000
44Drew HollingheadRSOLeakesville, MS6210.01106.308951.000
45Michael BusbyRFRVicksburg, MS19037.01405.843929301.000

These players are on the roster, but did not appear in a game and were redshirted.

#PlayerPosBTYRHometown
28Shawn MarquardtPRLFRCarmel, IN
33Paxton PaceP/2BRLFRCollinsville, MS
42Brent BrownleeOFRRFROxford, MS
48Luke AdkinsOFLLJRNettleton, MS
49Sean JohnsonOFRRJRSenatobia, MS
50Ryan RubinoSS/2BRRFRBradenton, FL
51Bobby Triglia3B/CRRFRJacksonville, FL

Schedule and results

2008 Game Log

References

  1. "College Baseball Conference Standings -- 2008". boydsworld.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  2. College Baseball Recruiting Results
  3. Diamond Dogs 24th In Preseason NCBWA Poll - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  4. Baseball Bulldogs 23rd In USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  5. State Ranked 19th In Rivals.com Preseason Baseball Poll - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  6. MSU's Turner Nabs Another All-America Honor; Diamond Dogs 27th In Collegiate Baseball Poll - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  7. Brandon Turner Named To Golden Spikes Award Watch List - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  8. MSU's Weatherford On Watch List For NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Award - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  9. Turner, Weatherford Represent MSU On Wallace Award Watch List - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletics Site - MStateAthletics.com
  10. "Ron Polk Bio @ MStateAthletics.com". Archived from the original on 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  11. "Russ McNickle Bio @ MStateAthletics.com". Archived from the original on 2012-09-06. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  12. "Tommy Raffo Bio @ MStateAthletics.com". Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  13. Wade Hedges Bio @ MStateAthletics.com
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