The 1981 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented Mississippi State University in the 1981 NCAA Division I baseball season. They were led by head coach Ron Polk in his sixth season and played their home games at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs were members of the Southeastern Conference, and finished with a record of 46–17, co-champions of the SEC West with a record of 17–6.
Mississippi State was invited to the NCAA Tournament, where they won the Atlantic Regional to advance to their third College World Series. The Bulldogs tied for fifth, recording an opening round win against Michigan and losses to eventual champion Arizona State and semifinalist .
Personnel Roster 1981 Mississippi State Bulldogs roster Pitchers 12 - Harold Myles - Sophomore 13 - Don Mundie - Senior 17 - John Shrewsberry - Senior 18 - Allen Morlock - Junior 20 - Phil Weathersby - Junior 22 - Steve Susce - Junior 23 - Mark Taylor - Junior 37 - Dan Hogan - Freshman Catchers 10 - John Shannon - Freshman 19 - Jay Porter - Sophomore 26 - Dave Bullard - Freshman
Outfielders 8 - Mark Gillaspie - Senior 9 - Tony Gage - Junior 25 - Brad Winkler - Junior 34 - Scott Darlington - Senior 39 - Glenn Young - Sophomore
Utility 6 - Steve D'Ercole - Senior 11 - Rick Bairley - Junior 28 - Terry Loe - Graduate 33 - Bill Bond - Junior Infielders 2 - Billy Martz - Senior 3 - Dan Zelmer - Sophomore 4 - Dan Van Cleve - Freshman 5 - Chris Maloney - Sophomore 14 - Dwayne Brown - Senior 15 - Dave Klipstein - Junior 21 - Lou Sotille - Senior 29 - Pete White - Junior 35 - Bruce Castoria - Junior 38 - Tim Parenton - Freshman
Coaching staff 1981 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff - Ron Polk - Head coach – 6th season - Mark Johnson - 6th season
Schedule Legend Mississippi State win Mississippi State loss * Non-Conference game
1981 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball game log Regular season February Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Feb 25 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 15–1 1–0 Feb 28 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 15–1 2–0 1–0 Feb 28 LSU Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–2 3–0 2–0 March Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Mar 3 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 10–2 4–0 Mar 5 Louisiana Tech* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–7 5–0 Mar 6 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 7–8 5–1 2–1 Mar 6 Auburn Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–4 5–2 2–2 Mar 7 Auburn Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–3 6–2 3–2 Mar 10 at Arizona* Wildcat Field • Tucson, AZ W 11–9 7–2 Mar 11 at Arizona* Wildcat Field • Tucson, AZ W 16–12 8–2 Mar 12 at * Brazell Field • Phoenix, AZ W 9–1 9–2 Mar 13 at Grand Canyon* Brazell Field • Phoenix, AZ W 10–7 10–2 Mar 14 vs Oklahoma State* Roger Barnson Field • Paradise, NV L 9–20 10–3 Mar 15 at * Roger Barnson Field • Paradise, NV W 23–17 11–3 Mar 15 at UNLV* Roger Barnson Field • Paradise, NV W 4–3 12–3 Mar 19 at Livingston* Livingston, AL W 21–20 13–3 Mar 21 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3 14–3 4–2 Mar 21 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–2 14–4 4–3 Mar 22 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 4–8 14–5 4–4 Mar 24 vs Smith–Wills Stadium • Jackson, MS W 4–3 15–5 Mar 27 at * Kamper Park • Hattiesburg, MS W 5–4 16–5 Mar 28 at Southern Miss* Kamper Park • Hattiesburg, MS W 6–2 17–5 Mar 30 at * Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL L 3–5 17–6 Mar 31 at South Alabama* Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL L 4–7 17–7 April Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Apr 3 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 14–1 18–7 Apr 4 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–4 19–7 5–4 Apr 5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–1 20–7 6–4 Apr 5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–3 21–7 7–4 Apr 7 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–5 22–7 Apr 7 Tulane* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–4 23–7 Apr 9 at Mississippi College* Frierson Field • Clinton, MS L 2–5 23–8 Apr 11 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 4–6 23–9 7–5 Apr 11 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 3–2 24–9 8–5 Apr 12 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 12–6 25–9 9–5 Apr 14 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 1–4 25–10 Apr 15 Delta State Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–3 26–10 Apr 18 at LSU Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 11–1 27–10 10–5 Apr 18 at LSU Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 7–2 28–10 11–5 Apr 19 at LSU Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 12–4 29–10 12–5 Apr 21 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–3 30–10 Apr 22 William Carey* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 17–5 31–10 Apr 25 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–4 32–10 13–5 Apr 25 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 5–3 33–10 14–5 Apr 26 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–5 34–10 15–5 Apr 27 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 3–0 35–10 Apr 28 Arkansas State* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 24–3 36–10 Apr 29 vs * Legion Field • Greenville, MS W 11–4 37–10 Apr 30 at * Smith–Wills Stadium • Jackson, MS W 6–4 38–10 May Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record May 1 at Jackson State* Smith–Wills Stadium • Jackson, MS L 10–11 38–11 May 2 at * Stripling Field • Birmingham, AL L 4–5 38–12 May 3 at Birmingham–Southern* Stripling Field • Birmingham, AL W 11–7 39–12 May 10 at Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS W 12–6 40–12 16–5 May 10 at Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS W 7–4 41–12 17–5 May 11 at Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS L 4–7 41–13 17–6 Postseason Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SECT record May 15 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 3–2 42–13 1–0 May 16 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 3–8 42–14 1–1 May 17 Kentucky Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 2–3 42–15 1–2 Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record Regional record May 22 Beautiful Tiger Field • Clemson, SC W 7–6 43–15 1–0 May 23 Beautiful Tiger Field • Clemson, SC W 5–1 44–15 2–0 May 24 East Tennessee State Beautiful Tiger Field • Clemson, SC W 6–5 45–15 3–0 Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record CWS record May 30 Michigan Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE W 4–1 46–15 1–0 June 2 Arizona State Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE L 3–4 46–16 1–1 June 4 Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE L 5–6 46–17 1–2
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