Faircloth Dominates as Mississippi State Shuts Out Ole Miss in Oxford

Alyssa Faircloth tossed a shutout as No. 18 Mississippi State beat Ole Miss 1-0 in Oxford on Thursday night. Faircloth allowed only two baserunners, a single and a hit batter, while striking out 14 batters in her ninth complete game of the season, according to school officials.

Faircloth retired the first 13 batters she faced, needing just 44 pitches to do so. Her performance kept the Rebels off the scoreboard and gave the Bulldogs a crucial win in the rivalry series, which continues Friday night at 6 p.m. CT. The game was broadcast on SEC Network+.

Kiarra Sells provided the game’s only run with a solo home run to left field in the second inning. Xiane Romero contributed two hits, including a double, and extended her hitting streak to four games. Nadia Barbary also added two singles, helping Mississippi State improve to 37-15 overall and 9-13 in conference play.

Head coach Samantha Ricketts praised Faircloth’s performance, noting her confidence and ability to attack the zone. Faircloth said she trusted her pitches and focused on competing, which contributed to her success. Romero highlighted her approach of keeping things simple at the plate, which has helped her recent success.

Mississippi State’s defense also was strong, turning in its sixth consecutive errorless game and its 34th of the season. The Bulldogs will look to secure the series victory Friday night at 6 p.m. CT, with the game available on SEC Network+.

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