Mississippi State softball routs North Texas 10-2 behind Keller’s performance

STARKVILLE, Miss. — No. 19 Mississippi State defeated North Texas 10-2 Sunday in a five-inning softball game. Freshman Kinley Keller led the Bulldogs with three hits, two doubles, and three runs scored, boosting her batting average to .667 for the season, according to team stats.

Keller’s offensive production helped the Bulldogs extend their winning streak to 10 games. The team’s No. 7-9 hitters combined for six hits, four doubles, and seven runs scored, according to the game summary.

Peja Goold earned her third complete game of the season, striking out seven and allowing just two hits. She improved her record to 5-0 and has a 26-2 record when striking out at least five hitters since last season, team records show.

Head coach Samantha Ricketts praised her team’s early-season performance and their response to challenges, noting the team’s consistent offensive output and good defensive play. “We’re excited about the potential to continue to build on it,” Ricketts said. “We’re playing quality teams, and it will only get tougher. I like how we responded after yesterday’s game. We scored every inning and finished strong.”

Keller highlighted the team effort and their energy, stating, “It was a total team win. All of us knew we were going to do this together, and we strung them out.”

Mississippi State will host Memphis on Wednesday at Nusz Park, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.

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