1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team

1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball
1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball
SEC West champions; SEC Tournament champions; NCAA South Regional champions
College World Series, 1–2
Conference	Southeastern Conference
CB	No. 6
Record	48–12 (17–2 SEC)
Head coach	Ron Polk (4th season);
Home stadium	Dudy Noble Field

1979 Southeastern Conference baseball standings
	Conf.				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
Eastern Division
No. 19 Florida ^x‍‍‍^y	16	–	8	.667	40	–	20	.667
Kentucky ‍‍‍	13	–	11	.542	29	–	18	.617
Georgia ‍‍‍	11	–	11	.500	24	–	18	.571
Tennessee ‍‍‍	10	–	14	.417	25	–	22	.532
Vanderbilt ‍‍‍	8	–	14	.364	21	–	25	.457
Western Division
No. 6 Mississippi State ^x‍‍‡‍^y	17	–	2	.895	48	–	12	.800
LSU ‍‍‍	13	–	7	.650	34	–	20	.630
Ole Miss ‍‍‍	9	–	10	.474	24	–	13	.649
Auburn ‍‍‍	7	–	14	.333	21	–	21	.500
Alabama ‍‍‍	4	–	17	.190	18	–	27	.400

x – Division champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of June 30, 1979^[1] Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

The 1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented the Mississippi State University in the 1979 NCAA Division I baseball season. They were led by head coach Ron Polk in his fourth season and played their home games at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs were members of the Southeastern Conference, and finished with a record of 48–12, champions of the SEC West with a record of 17–2 and winners of the SEC Tournament.

Mississippi State was invited to the NCAA Tournament, where they won the South Regional to advance to their second College World Series. The Bulldogs tied for fifth, recording an opening round win against eventual champion Cal State Fullerton and losses to semifinalist Texas and third place Pepperdine.

Personnel

Roster

1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs roster^[2]

Pitchers

9 - Bryan Hardwick - Freshman
12 - Josh Reagan - Senior
13 - Don Mundie - Sophomore
17 - John Shrewsberry - Sophomore
18 - Ken Kurtz - Junior
22 - Steve Susce - Freshman
23 - Robert Taylor - Junior
32 - Terry Bartley - Junior
33 - Perry Cilburn - Junior

Catchers

8 - Mike Sterling - Senior
16 - Scott Galloway - Senior
28 - Terry Loe - Junior
31 - Robert Smith - Junior

Outfielders

2 - Mike Kelley - Senior
5 - Larry Pavlou - Senior
10 - Lea Paslay - Sophomore
19 - Bob Kocol - Senior
25 - Brad Winkler - Freshman
30 - David Lowther - Freshman
37 - James Otis Doss - Sophomore

Infielders

3 - Pete Torres - Senior
6 - Boyd Conner - Senior
11 - Tim Weisheim - Senior
15 - Dave Klipstein - Freshman
20 - Dale Hannah - Senior
29 - Pete White - Freshman
35 - Bruce Castoria - Freshman
36 - Rick Dixon - Junior

Utility

4 - Randy Schlosser - Junior
26 - John McDonald - Junior
38 - Mike Pruser - Sophomore

Coaching staff

1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff^[2]
- Ron Polk - Head coach – 4th season - Mark Johnson - 4th season

Schedule

1979 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball game log^[3]

Regular season

February/March
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SEC record
Feb 27	Mississippi College*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–0	1–0
Feb 28	Livingston*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 7–1	2–0
Mar 1	Livingston*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 15–8	3–0
Mar 4	at LSU	Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA	W 3–1 ⁽⁷⁾	4–0	1–0
Mar 4	at LSU	Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA	L 1–2	4–1	1–1
Mar 6	Arkansas State*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 11–3	5–1
Mar 7	Arkansas State*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–4	6–1
Mar 8	at Jackson State*	Jackson, MS	L 3–4	6–2
Mar 9	at Jackson State*	Jackson, MS	W 3–0	7–2
Mar 11	Alabama	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–1 ⁽⁷⁾	8–2	2–1
Mar 11	Alabama	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 6–1 ⁽⁷⁾	9–2	3–1
Mar 13	Delta State*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 4–2	10–2
Mar 14	Delta State*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 9–8 ⁽¹⁰⁾	11–2
Mar 17	Auburn	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 13–5 ⁽⁷⁾	12–2	4–1
Mar 17	Auburn	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 11–2 ⁽⁷⁾	13–2	5–1
Mar 18	Auburn	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 15–8	14–2	6–1
Mar 21	Missouri Baptist*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 10–6	15–2
Mar 22	Missouri Baptist*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–3	16–2
Mar 23	at South Alabama*	Mobile, AL	L 7–8	16–3
Mar 24	at South Alabama*	Mobile, AL	W 12–1	17–3
Mar 25	at Southern Miss*	Hattiesburg, MS	W 17–2	18–3
Mar 26	at Southern Miss*	Hattiesburg, MS	W 9–8	19–3
Mar 27	St. Olaf*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 23–4	20–3
Mar 28	St. Olaf*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 4–1 ⁽⁷⁾	21–3
Mar 31	Ole Miss	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 4–1 ⁽⁷⁾	22–3	7–1
Mar 31	Ole Miss	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 10–0 ⁽⁷⁾	23–3	8–1

April/May
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SEC record
Apr 1	Ole Miss	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–4	24–3	9–1
Apr 4	Birmingham–Southern*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–3	25–3
Apr 5	Birmingham–Southern*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 11–1	26–3
Apr 7	LSU	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–0 ⁽⁷⁾	27–3	10–1
Apr 7	LSU	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 5–2 ⁽⁷⁾	28–3	11–1
Apr 13	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	L 5–6	28–4
Apr 14	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	L 8–9 ⁽⁸⁾	28–5
Apr 14	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	L 12–19	28–6
Apr 15	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	W 6–4	29–6
Apr 15	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	W 7–6	30–6
Apr 17	at Hawaii*	UH Stadium • Honolulu, HI	L 0–10	30–7
Apr 21	at Auburn	Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL	W 4–1 ⁽⁷⁾	31–7	12–1
Apr 21	at Auburn	Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL	L 0–3 ⁽⁷⁾	31–8	12–2
Apr 22	at Auburn	Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL	W 7–1	32–8	13–2
Apr 25	at Alabama	Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL	W 6–4 ⁽¹⁰⁾	33–8	14–2
Apr 25	at Alabama	Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL	W 2–0 ⁽⁷⁾	34–8	15–2
Apr 26	Mississippi College*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 6–1	35–8
Apr 27	William Carey*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	L 6–10	35–9
Apr 28	William Carey*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 3–2	36–9
Apr 30	Louisiana Tech*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 2–0	37–9
Apr 30	Louisiana Tech*	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 14–8	38–9
May 6	at Ole Miss	Swayze Field • Oxford, MS (Rivalry)	W 5–3 ⁽⁷⁾	39–9	16–2
May 6	at Ole Miss	Swayze Field • Oxford, MS	W 5–1 ⁽⁷⁾	40–9	17–2

Postseason

SEC Tournament
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	SECT record
May 11	Kentucky	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 6–5	41–9	1–0
May 13	LSU	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–5	42–9	2–0
May 14	Florida	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–11	43–9	3–0

NCAA South Regional
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Regional record
May 18	New Orleans	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	L 11–13	43–10	0–1
May 19	Tulane	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–4	44–10	1–1
May 20	New Orleans	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 13–10	45–10	2–1
May 20	Murray State	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 8–6	46–10	3–1
May 21	Murray State	Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS	W 18–8	47–10	4–1

College World Series
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	CWS record
June 2	Cal State Fullerton	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE	W 6–1	48–10	1–0
June 3	Texas	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE	L 2–8	48–11	1–1
June 4	Pepperdine	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE	L 4–5 ⁽¹⁰⁾	48–12	1–2

References

↑ "College Baseball Conference Standings – 1979". Boydsworld.com. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
1 2 "1979 Baseball Roster". Mississippi State Bulldogs. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
↑ "1979 Baseball Schedule". Mississippi State Bulldogs. Retrieved August 7, 2026.

[1] "College Baseball Conference Standings – 1979". Boydsworld.com. Retrieved August 26, 2014.

[roster-2] 1 2 "1979 Baseball Roster". Mississippi State Bulldogs. Retrieved August 6, 2026.

[3] "1979 Baseball Schedule". Mississippi State Bulldogs. Retrieved August 7, 2026.

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[2]

[3]

Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball
Venues	Dudy Noble Field, Polk–DeMent Stadium (1967–present)
Rivalries	Ole Miss
Culture & lore	Left Field Lounge
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
National championships in bold; College World Series appearances in italics