Georgia beats Mississippi State 7-4 after late rally in Athens

ATHENS, Ga. — Mississippi State’s softball team lost to Georgia 7-4 Sunday in Athens, despite a late rally that fell short. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 11, faced a seven-run deficit after Georgia scored three runs in the first inning and four more in the third.

The Bulldogs (29-6, 2-4 SEC) scored three runs in the fifth inning and shut out Georgia the rest of the game but couldn’t catch up. Head coach Samantha Ricketts emphasized the importance of resilience, saying, “If we learn one lesson from this weekend, it’s showing some fight and battling back and knowing that you have to be ready to do that every inning in this conference.”

Taylor Troutman led Mississippi State offensively, recording two hits, including a double, and driving in three RBIs. Nadia Barbary also contributed with two hits and a double. Morgan Stiles extended her reach-base streak to six games, and Kiarra Sells drew three walks. This game marked the first time this season that MSU trailed by more than three runs, and the seven-run margin was the largest the Bulldog bullpen allowed in 2026.

Georgia opened the scoring with a three-run first inning. In the third, the home team added four more runs, including a double by Sarah Gordon and a two-RBI single by Marisa Miller. Mississippi State responded in the fifth with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Des Rivera and a two-RBI single from Troutman.

Mississippi State will host UT Martin on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT in their final midweek game of the season. The Bulldogs then prepare for a series against South Carolina starting March 28, with Sunday and Monday games broadcast nationally on SEC Network.

Source: Original Article