Entering conference play, Dakota Hudson was Mississippi State’s undoubted ace. That status remained true through the Dawg’s first 3 SEC series, when Hudson shut down Vanderbilt, Georgia and Ole Miss. After 7 starts, he had posted an almost unimaginably 0.92 ERA along with 56 strikeouts. Hudson was named Perfect Game Mid-Season Pitcher of the Year and put on the Golden Spikes Award watch list. It seemed certain he would be a first round draft pick this summer. And then he fell back down to earth.
In Hudson’s last 3 starts he has worked just 18.1 innings allowing 30 hits and 16 runs.