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Mississippi State baseball announces starting rotation for opening weekend vs. VMI

Stefan Krajisnik, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·1 min read

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball's most pressing offseason question has been answered as the team announced its starting rotation on Thursday.

In the opening series against Virginia Military Institute, Cade Smith will start Friday, KC Hunt will follow and Landon Gartman will round it out. They are all right-handed pitchers.

Smith was MSU's usual Sunday starter last season. However, he is the lone player returning from the starting rotation. A junior out of Southaven, Mississippi, Smith was 4-4 last season in 14 starts with a 3.86 ERA. He collected 66 strikeouts and allowed an opponent batting average of .221.

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Hunt was a starter for MSU's opening weekend last season, but an injury cost him the next month. Once he returned, he was utilized out of the bullpen.

Hunt made 15 appearances, pitching 25⅓ innings with a 7.46 ERA. The Wyckoff, New Jersey, native had 32 strikeouts and collected a save in a mid-April win against Auburn.

Mississippi State's Cade Smith (15) pitches during Game 12 of the College World Series between Texas and Mississippi State at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. on Friday, June 25, 2021.
Mississippi State's Cade Smith (15) pitches during Game 12 of the College World Series between Texas and Mississippi State at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. on Friday, June 25, 2021.

Gartman is in his first season at MSU after transferring in from Memphis. He spent one season with the Tigers after coming in from Pearl River Community College.

A native of Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, Gartman was a first-team All-AAC selection last season and the conference's top newcomer at pitcher. He was 7-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 13 starts and two relief appearances.

Gartman threw four hitless innings in a midweek start against Mississippi State last season.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State baseball announces 2023 opening weekend rotation