No. 17 Mississippi State Faces South Carolina in SEC Baseball Series

The Bulldogs look to snap a six-game conference losing streak against the Gamecocks.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:23pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action and competing strategies of a college baseball game, with the bright colors of the teams' uniforms creating a vibrant, energetic composition.A cubist interpretation of the strategic chess match between two SEC baseball rivals.Mississippi State Today

The #17 Mississippi State Bulldogs (27-10, 7-8 SEC) will open a three-game SEC baseball series against the South Carolina Gamecocks (19-19, 5-10 SEC) on Friday evening at Founder Park. Mississippi State will send sophomore left-hander Tomas Valincius (6-1, 1.53 ERA) to the mound, while South Carolina will counter with junior right-hander Brandon Stone (4-1, 2.89 ERA).

Why it matters

Both teams are looking to turn their fortunes around in SEC play, with Mississippi State hoping to snap a six-game conference losing streak and South Carolina aiming to build on its recent four-game winning streak that included a sweep of Missouri last weekend.

The details

The Bulldogs won the last series between these two teams in 2021, taking two of three games. However, both squads have undergone significant roster and coaching changes since then. Mississippi State will look to its pitching staff, led by Valincius, to slow down a South Carolina offense that has shown signs of life lately. On the other side, the Gamecocks will hope Stone can continue his solid season on the mound and give their lineup a chance to pull off the home series win.

  • The series opener is scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026 at 6 PM CT.
  • Saturday's game is set to begin at 12 PM CT.
  • The series finale is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 12:30 PM CT.

The players

Tomas Valincius

A sophomore left-handed pitcher for Mississippi State who has a 6-1 record and 1.53 ERA this season, leading the Bulldogs' staff in innings pitched with 53.0.

Brandon Stone

A junior right-handed pitcher for South Carolina who has a 4-1 record and 2.89 ERA in 11 appearances, including five starts, this year.

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What they’re saying

“Both teams have different coaches and dramatically different rosters. That is to be expected in many respects due to the nature of college athletics, but on the coaching side of things, the Gamecocks are on their third coach since State's last visit.”

— Steve Robertson, Author

What’s next

The winner of this series will gain valuable ground in the SEC standings as the regular season winds down.

The takeaway

This SEC baseball series between Mississippi State and South Carolina features two programs looking to turn their seasons around, with the Bulldogs hoping to end a conference skid and the Gamecocks aiming to build on recent momentum. The pitching matchup between Valincius and Stone will be key in determining which team can gain the upper hand.