Mississippi State Hosts South Carolina in Key SEC Softball Series

Mississippi State will host South Carolina this weekend in a highly anticipated SEC softball series. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 12 nationally, will face the No. 23 Gamecocks in a three-game matchup starting Saturday at 2 p.m. at home in Starkville. The final two games are scheduled for Sunday and Monday nights, both at 6 p.m., with the latter airing on SEC Network.

MSU enters the series with a 28-2 record in non-conference play and has reached 30 wins in just 36 games, the fewest in school history. The Bulldogs recently threw their second no-hitter of the season in a 7-0 victory over UT Martin. Pitcher Peja Goold recorded her first career no-hitter, striking out 13 batters, and became the 28th in program history to accomplish the feat.

South Carolina comes into the weekend with a 21-13 overall record and a 1-5 mark in SEC play. The Gamecocks lost 8-0 to Clemson last time out and are led by head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, now in her second season with the team. They are known for their deep pitching staff, with seven different pitchers earning wins this year, and boast a .325 team batting average.

Mississippi State’s offense has been productive, with several players making notable contributions. Kiarra Sells has reached base safely in nine of her last 10 plate appearances, while Taylor Troutman leads SEC players with a .706 slugging percentage. The Bulldogs also rank nationally in strikeouts, leading the NCAA with 333, and are just 77 strikeouts shy of a top-five program record.

The series marks an important stretch for MSU as they look to continue their winning ways and secure their best start in school history. The Bulldogs will then travel next week to face No. 3/5 Florida in a three-game series. Fans can follow updates on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram using the handle ‘HailStateSB.’

Source: Original Article