Duke Stone named starter for State matchup against Troy

Sophomore pitcher set to make first career start for Mississippi State baseball

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Mississippi State baseball coach Brian O'Connor has named sophomore pitcher Duke Stone as the starter for Tuesday's matchup against Troy. Stone is coming off a strong summer in the Cape Cod League and will be making his first career start for the Bulldogs.

Why it matters

This will be an important test for Stone and the Bulldogs, who are looking to avenge last season's 6-5 loss to Troy. Mississippi State is ranked No. 4 in the country and has high expectations this season.

The details

Stone pitched 2.0 innings in the season opener against Hofstra, surrendering 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 batters and giving up 2 runs. After initially entering the transfer portal, he decided to stay with Mississippi State and had a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, posting a 3.33 ERA in 27.0 innings with 35 strikeouts and just 6 walks.

  • The game against Troy is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16, 2026 at 4 p.m.
  • Mississippi State will then play Alcorn State on Wednesday, February 17, 2026 at 4 p.m.

The players

Duke Stone

A sophomore pitcher for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team who is set to make his first career start on Tuesday against Troy.

Brian O'Connor

The head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team.

Justin Parker

The pitching coach for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game against Troy will be an important early-season test for the highly-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs and their young pitcher Duke Stone, who is looking to build on his strong summer performance and earn a bigger role on the team this season.