This Week(END) in MSU Baseball (April 29, 2013)

Well that was a buzzkill. A week after putting 14,000 in Dudy Noble and State reeling off their third-straight series win, the Bulldogs ran into a buzz saw in Nashville vs. #3 Vanderbilt. The Commodores are very good if you haven't already noticed and the Bulldogs had just enough mistakes to make sure that they had little chance.

The good news for State (33-13, 10-11) is they have three series remaining with the potential to win all three (Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina) while hosting two out of the three. If they are to host a regional in a month or so, winning all three series is critical.

Anyway, as expected with the series sweep, State fell in all of the rankings. Let's take a look.

Publication	This Week	Last Week
Baseball America	22	16
Collegiate Baseball	28	17
USA Today	15	12
Perfect Game	17	15
NCBWA	Not Yet Released	10

So the Bulldogs continue to hang around the top 25 regardless of the weekend and their RPI failed to suffer as well. Now let's take a look at individual and team statistics around the SEC as the Bulldogs rough weekend took a tole slightly.

Individual Offense

Batting Average: 1st- Hunter Renfroe (.403)

Hits: 4th - Frazier (63); T-6th- Renfroe (60)

Slugging %: 1st- Renfroe (.799)

On Base %: 2nd- Renfroe (.489)

Runs Scored: T-3rd- Frazier (42); T-6th-Renfroe (40)

RBI: 3rd- Renfore (48)

Doubles: T-3rd Frazier and Renfroe (13)

Triples: 2nd- Frazier (6)

Home Runs: 1st- Renfroe (14)

Total Bases: 1st - Renfroe (119); 9th- Frazier (88)

Walks: 1st - Alex Detz (40); T-12th- Renfroe (25)

Hit by Pitch: T-5th-Brett Pirtle (11)

At Bats: 2nd- Frazier (190); 9th-Bradford (175)

Team Batting

Batting Average: 3rd (.294)

Hits: 3rd (448)

Slugging %: 4th (.406)

On Base %: 2nd (.394)

Runs Scored: 3rd (287)

RBI: 3rd (256)

Doubles: T-4th (73)

Triples: 4th (12)

Home Runs: 5th (25)

Total Bases: 4th (620)

At Bats: 2nd (1526)

Walks: 2nd (208)

Hit by Pitch: 4th (59)

Stolen Bases: 5th (48)

Team/Individual Defense and Pitching

Earned Run Average: 3rd (2.46) Leaders: Ross Mitchell- 1st - (0.93); Kendall Graveman- 11th (2.17)

Opposing Batting Average: 4th (.217) Leader: Jacob Lindgren- 8th (.214); R. Mitchell-9th (.215)

Innings Pitched: 4th (409.1) Leader: Graveman- 9th (70.2)

Strikeouts: 1st (380)

Wins: T-3rd (33) Leaders: R. Mitchell- 2nd (8); Luis Pollorena- T-8th-(6)

Saves: 5th (14) Leader: Jonathan Holder- 2nd (NCAA T-4th)- (12)

Appearances: Leaders: Holder and Chad Girodo- T-9th (22)

(Least Amount) Hits: 4th (318) Leaders: Lindgren- T-1st (36); R. Mitchell- T-7th- (45)

(Least Amount) Earned Runs: T-2nd (112) Leader: R. Mitchell- 1st- (6); Lindgren- T-10th (20)

(Least Amount) Doubles: 3rd (45); Leaders: Lindgren- T-6th (5); R. Mitchell- T-10th (6)

(Least Amount) Triples: T-3rd (4) Leader: Graveman, R. Mitchell, Lindgren and Pollorena -T-1st (0)

(Least Amount) Home Runs: T-3rd (12) Leaders: Pollorena and R. Mitchell- T-1st (0); Lindgren- T-6th (1)

(Least Amount) Walks: T-9th (141) Leader: Lindgren- T-7th (13); R. Mitchell- T-12th (15)

(Least Amount) Intentional Walks: 1st (2)

Fielding %: 3rd (.975) Leader: Jacob Robson- 1st (1.000)

Chances: 1st (1831)

Putouts: 4th (1228)

Assists: 1st (558) Leader: Frazier-1st (154); Pirtle- 8th (121)

Double Plays: 1st (59) Leaders: Frazier-1st (50); Pirtle-T-5th (35); Rea- 10th (32)

The Bulldogs now take the midweek off and finish their academic semester with exams before starting the end of the season. State will host Alabama (27-18, 11-9) at Dudy Noble with a much-needed series win on their minds. This is a series that the Bulldogs must win to keep their regional hosting alive.

Game times will be 6:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Friday-Sunday series.