Mississippi State’s softball team, ranked No. 12 nationally, is finishing its longest road trip of the season at the Jaguar Classic in Mobile, Alabama, this weekend, according to team officials. The Bulldogs will begin the tournament with two games Friday, facing New Mexico at 10 a.m. CT and South Alabama at 3 p.m., both of which will be streamed on ESPN+.
MSU will play three more games through Sunday, including a rematch against New Mexico and a contest against Samford on Saturday. The team will close the event against host South Alabama at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The Bulldogs are aiming to enter Southeastern Conference play with their best pre-conference record in program history, standing at 19-2, which ties the 2014 team for the best start before league play.
High rankings this season include No. 12 in the NFCA poll and No. 13 in D1Softball, marking the highest in program history. The team also leads the nation in strikeouts looking and whiff rate, with several pitchers ranking among the top nationally in fielding independent pitching.
Offensively, MSU has hit 39 doubles this season, on pace to surpass last year’s school record of 90. The team boasts a deep roster, with 12 players hitting home runs and multiple outfielders seeing regular action. The Bulldogs have used three different starting pitchers this season, with no one exceeding 47 innings pitched.
Upcoming, MSU will host Southeast Missouri in a doubleheader Tuesday before opening SEC play against No. 1 Tennessee on March 13 at Nusz Park, according to team officials.
