Mississippi State Faces No. 12 Texas A&M in Third Consecutive Top-15 Series

Mississippi State softball will face No. 12 Texas A&M in a three-game series from April 17-19 in Bryan-College Station, Texas, marking its third consecutive weekend playing a top-15 team, according to school officials.

The series was altered due to forecasted bad weather. The opener is now scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. Saturday’s game is set for 11 a.m., and Sunday’s contest will start at 1 p.m., both also on SEC Network+.

This trip to Davis Diamond is rare for the Bulldogs, who have played only three conference series in Bryan-College Station since joining the SEC. Mississippi State holds three road wins against the Aggies, including one in the 2019 SEC Tournament.

Mississippi State’s notable players include Nadia Barbary, who is 5-for-19 against Texas A&M with a home run in 2023. Freshman Tatum Silva has also played in College Station, going 1-for-3 in last year’s opener. Veteran pitcher Delainey Everett, who missed the first 16 games due to injury, returned with 5 scoreless innings last weekend.

The Bulldogs lead the nation with 390 strikeouts this season and boast strong defensive stats, including a .983 fielding percentage, which ranks fifth nationally. They have also thrown out 11 runners at home plate this year. Additionally, Des Rivera ties the school record with five sacrifice flies this season, ranking sixth nationally.

Texas A&M enters with a 31-12 record and leads the SEC in batting average at .355. The Aggies rank in the top 20 nationally in slugging percentage, RBIs, and scoring offense, with their pitching staff ranked eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio. Notable players include Mya Perez, who leads the SEC in on-base percentage, and Kennedy Powell, with 200 career hits and 50 stolen bases.

Mississippi State will conclude its home schedule April 24-26 against LSU as part of Super Bulldog Weekend, featuring graduation ceremonies and Senior Day festivities.

Source: Original Article