Mississippi State makes first Women’s College World Series appearance
The Mississippi State softball team will make its first appearance in the Women’s College World Series this week, marking a historic milestone for the program. The No. 20 Bulldogs open play at 11 a.m. Thursday against No. 4 Texas Tech in Oklahoma City.
Mississippi State’s matchup with Texas Tech is a rematch of last year’s Lubbock Regional, where Tech ended the Bulldogs’ season. Despite that loss, the Bulldogs opened this season with an extra-inning victory over the Red Raiders, with Kiarra Sells driving in the game-winning run on her first career hit.
Sells has a 4-for-7 record against Texas Tech in her career, and Morgan Stiles is 4-for-9. Stiles holds MSU’s NCAA Tournament hits record, thanks in part to her success against Texas Tech last year, including eight hits in the Lubbock Regional. She also matched her career high with three hits off Tech ace NiJaree Canady in last year’s winner’s bracket game.
If the Bulldogs win Thursday, they will face the winner of No. 6 Texas and No. 8 Tennessee at 2 p.m. Saturday, a game that will be broadcast on ABC. A loss would send MSU to an elimination game against the loser of that matchup at 6 p.m. Friday, televised on ESPN2.
MSU’s journey to the WCWS included ending Oklahoma’s five-year run of trips to Oklahoma City. The Bulldogs defeated Oklahoma twice this season, becoming the only team to beat the Sooners twice. Head coach Samantha Ricketts, a former Oklahoma player, secured her first victory over her mentor Patty Gasso in the process.
The Bulldogs also achieved a rare shutout against Oklahoma, the first since 2019, with Delainey Everett pitching the first MSU shutout of a top-five NCAA team since 2022. The team set program records with 516 strikeouts this season, and Faircloth threw the first no-hitter in MSU NCAA Tournament history against No. 12 Oregon.
Several players earned postseason honors, including Alyssa Faircloth and Peja Goold, named Second Team All-Americans. Faircloth was also the SEC Newcomer of the Year. Morgan Stiles set the school record for NCAA Tournament hits, and Abby Grace Richardson played in both the NJCAA and NCAA Women’s College World Series, a rare achievement.
This year’s run marked MSU’s 20th NCAA Tournament appearance with a record of 30-40. The Bulldogs have now advanced to the WCWS for the first time, tying their longest postseason winning streak with five consecutive wins.
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