The 1985 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team represented Mississippi State University in the 1985 NCAA Division I baseball season. They were led by head coach Ron Polk in his tenth season and played their home games at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs were members of the Southeastern Conference, and finished with a record of 50–15, second place in the SEC West with a record of 16–8.
Mississippi State was invited to the NCAA Tournament, where they won the South I Regional to advance to their third College World Series. The Bulldogs tied for third, recording wins against Oklahoma State and eventual semifinalist and losses to eventual champion Miami (FL) and runner-up Texas.
The team featured four future Major League players, with Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro forming a tandem nicknamed "Thunder and Lightning" while Jeff Brantley and Bobby Thigpen would go on to become notable relief pitchers. All four would become All-Stars.
Personnel Roster 1985 Mississippi State Bulldogs roster Pitchers 8 - Jeff Brantley - Senior 18 - Trent Intorcia - Junior 20 - Ray Mullino - Junior 31 - Steve King - Junior 36 - Will McRaney - Junior 40 - Gene Morgan - Senior 42 - Dave Wilder - Senior Catchers 11 - Randy Abrams - Sophomore 14 - Roark McDonald - Junior 34 - Tri Weaver - Junior
Outfielders 4 - Dan Van Cleve - Senior 6 - Rafael Palmeiro - Junior 13 - Bobby Thigpen - Senior 15 - John Mitchell - Sophomore 29 - Sammy Duda - Senior 33 - Mike McCraney - Sophomore Infielders 5 - Gator Thiesen - Senior 7 - John Scott - Junior 10 - Frank Davis - Senior 12 - Joel Johnson - Junior 23 - Will Clark - Junior 27 - Tommy Butt - Junior
Coaching staff 1985 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff1 - Ron Polk - Head coach – 10th season 2 - Tim Sumner - 4th season 9 - Pat McMahon - Associate head coach - 8th season
Schedule Legend Mississippi State win Mississippi State loss * Non-Conference game
1985 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball game log Regular season February Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Feb 23 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 9–1 1–0 Feb 24 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 10–0 2–0 Feb 26 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 26–4 3–0 Feb 27 at * Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL W 4–1 4–0 Feb 28 at South Alabama* Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL W 2–1 5–0 March Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Mar 2 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 3–2 6–0 Mar 3 Southeastern Louisiana* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–2 7–0 Mar 6 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 19–2 8–0 Mar 9 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–1 9–0 1–0 Mar 9 Auburn Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 3–2 10–0 2–0 Mar 10 Auburn Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 14–0 11–0 3–0 Mar 13 at * Stripling Field • Birmingham, AL W 10–2 12–0 Mar 14 at Birmingham–Southern* Stripling Field • Birmingham, AL W 18–9 13–0 Mar 16 at Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 7–0 14–0 4–0 Mar 16 at LSU Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 6–9 14–1 4–1 Mar 17 at LSU Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 4–7 14–2 4–2 Mar 19 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 4–10 14–3 Mar 20 New Orleans* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–6 15–3 Mar 22 at Livingston* Livingston, AL W 5–0 16–3 Mar 23 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 4–7 16–4 4–3 Mar 24 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 17–10 17–4 5–3 Mar 24 Alabama Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 11–5 18–4 6–3 Mar 26 at * Ferriss Field • Cleveland, MS W 6–4 19–4 Mar 28 at Delta State* Ferriss Field • Cleveland, MS W 14–8 20–4 Mar 30 at Swayze Field • Oxford, MS W 4–0 21–4 7–3 Mar 30 at Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS W 10–2 22–4 8–3 Mar 31 at Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS L 7–12 22–5 8–4 April Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Apr 2 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 13–4 23–5 Apr 2 Arkansas State* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 12–5 24–5 Apr 5 at * Francis Wong Stadium • Hilo, HI W 7–2 25–5 Apr 6 at Hawaii–Hilo* Francis Wong Stadium • Hilo, HI W 2–0 26–5 Apr 6 at Hawaii–Hilo* Francis Wong Stadium • Hilo, HI W 7–1 27–5 Apr 9 at * Les Murakami Stadium • Honolulu, HI W 8–1 28–5 Apr 10 at Hawaii* Les Murakami Stadium • Honolulu, HI L 3–4 28–6 Apr 13 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 2–3 28–7 8–5 Apr 13 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 1–3 28–8 8–6 Apr 14 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 1–8 28–9 8–7 Apr 16 vs Mississippi College* Smith–Wills Stadium • Jackson, MS L 5–7 28–10 Apr 17 * Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 9–3 29–10 Apr 18 Jackson State* Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 18–7 30–10 Apr 20 LSU Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–1 31–10 9–7 Apr 20 LSU Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–5 32–10 10–7 Apr 21 LSU Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 7–4 33–10 11–7 Apr 23 vs Ole Miss* Smith–Wills Stadium • Jackson, MS(Mayor's Trophy) W 5–2 34–10 Apr 25 at * Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS W 11–4 35–10 Apr 25 at Southern Miss* Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS W 3–0 36–10 Apr 27 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 5–6 36–11 11–8 Apr 27 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 14–4 37–11 12–8 Apr 28 at Alabama Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL W 6–4 38–11 13–8 Apr 30 vs * Legion Field • Greenville, MS W 16–2 39–11 May Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record May 1 vs Arkansas* Ray Winder Field • Little Rock, AR L 1–13 39–12 May 4 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 6–5 40–12 14–8 May 4 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–1 41–12 15–8 May 5 Ole Miss Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 4–3 42–12 16–8 Postseason Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SECT record May 10 Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 8–3 43–12 1–0 May 11 Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 2–0 44–12 2–0 May 12 Georgia Alex Box Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 8–3 45–12 3–0 Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record Regional record May 24 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 10–1 46–12 1–0 May 25 New Orleans Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 8–4 47–12 2–0 May 26 Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS L 6–14 47–13 2–1 May 27 Michigan Dudy Noble Field • Starkville, MS W 19–8 48–13 3–1 Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record CWS record May 31 Oklahoma State Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE W 12–3 49–13 1–0 June 3 Arkansas Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE W 5–4 50–13 2–0 June 7 Texas Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE L 7–12 50–14 2–1 June 8 Miami (FL) Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE L 5–6 50–15 2–2
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