Mississippi State baseball coach Andy Cannizaro resigns

Mississippi State baseball coach Andy Cannizaro resigned on Tuesday. (Kelly Price/Mississippi State athletics)

Mississippi State baseball coach Andy Cannizaro has resigned effective immediately, the school announced Tuesday.

Cannizaro's departure comes after just three games in the 2018 season. Though neither the school nor Cannizaro disclosed the reason for the move, Cannizaro admitted to making "poor decisions" and asked Bulldogs fans for forgiveness.

The Columbus (Miss.) Commercial-Dispatch reported Tuesday that the MSU athletic department had launched an investigation into allegations of an extramarital affair involving Cannizaro, who is married with two young children.

"I had a wonderful opportunity at Mississippi State, but unfortunately I made some poor decisions," Cannizaro said. "I hope Mississippi State University and all of the fans and people affected will one day forgive me."

Mississippi State pitching coach Gary Henderson -- a former Kentucky head coach -- will take over as interim coach. The Bulldogs (0-3) were swept at Southern Miss to open the season and play at Jackson State on Wednesday.

Multiple media outlets reported Monday night that Cannizaro would be fired on Tuesday. The school chose to term the move a "resignation."

"Earlier this morning, I accepted Andy Cannizaro's resignation as the head baseball coach at Mississippi State," MSU athletics director John Cohen said. "While the circumstances are difficult, we are fortunate to have a coach of Gary Henderson's caliber to assume leadership of the program on an interim basis during our transition."

The 39-year-old Cannizaro, a former major-league infielder and LSU assistant coach, took over at Mississippi State in 2017 after Cohen moved up to athletics director. Cannizaro led the Bulldogs to a 40-27 record and an NCAA Super Regional berth in his first season on the job.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.