Mississippi State Baseball Faces Georgia Without Ace Pitcher

Bulldogs' top starter Ryan McPherson will miss second straight series due to injury

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:16am

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The No. 4 Mississippi State baseball team will host No. 5 Georgia this weekend without their ace pitcher Ryan McPherson, who will miss his second straight series due to an undisclosed injury. The Bulldogs (25-4, 7-2 SEC) will turn to Charlie Foster (0-0, 4.50 ERA) to start in McPherson's place against the Bulldogs (24-6, 7-2 SEC) in the three-game series at Dudy Noble Field.

Why it matters

McPherson's absence is a significant blow for Mississippi State, as he has been their most dominant starter this season with a 5-1 record and 2.25 ERA. The Bulldogs will need other pitchers to step up if they want to maintain their position atop the SEC standings and secure a high seed for the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Ryan McPherson, Mississippi State's ace pitcher, will miss his second straight weekend series due to an undisclosed injury. The Bulldogs will turn to sophomore Charlie Foster to start in McPherson's place against the visiting Georgia Bulldogs. Foster has made four appearances this season but is still looking for his first win.

  • The three-game series between No. 4 Mississippi State and No. 5 Georgia begins on April 2 at 6 p.m. CT.
  • McPherson has missed the Bulldogs' last series against Vanderbilt and will now sit out the Georgia series as well.

The players

Ryan McPherson

Mississippi State's ace pitcher, who has a 5-1 record and 2.25 ERA this season.

Charlie Foster

Mississippi State sophomore pitcher who will start in McPherson's place against Georgia.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

The No. 4 ranked college baseball team in the country, with a 25-4 overall record and 7-2 mark in SEC play.

Georgia Bulldogs

The No. 5 ranked college baseball team, with a 24-6 overall record and 7-2 SEC record.

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What’s next

Mississippi State will need to find a way to win the Georgia series without their ace pitcher in order to maintain their position atop the SEC standings and secure a high seed for the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

The absence of Ryan McPherson is a significant setback for Mississippi State, as he has been their most dominant starter this season. The Bulldogs will need other pitchers to step up in his place if they want to continue their strong start to the season.