Mississippi State tops Clemson in run-rule victory to win Tiger Invitational

Clemson, S.C. — The Mississippi State softball team secured its third run-rule win of the weekend Sunday, defeating Clemson 9-1 in six innings to win the Tiger Invitational. The victory improves the Bulldogs’ record to 18-2, marking their best 20-game start in school history, according to team officials.

Head coach Samantha Ricketts praised her team’s response after a loss the previous day. “I really love the response from the team. They took yesterday as a challenge, and the energy was completely different,” she said. “We set the tone, controlled the momentum on both sides of the ball, and played well-rounded softball.”

Mississippi State scored in all but one inning, with multiple runs in three frames. The Bulldogs took an early lead in the first inning after a wild pitch, and Kiarra Sells homered in the third, her first of three hits that day. Abby Grace Richardson and Nadia Barbary each drove in runs during the game, with Keller hitting her first career home run in the sixth to end the game early via run rule.

In the circle, Peja Goold struck out five batters over five innings, allowing just one run. Alyssa Faircloth finished the game with 1.2 hitless innings, closing out the victory.

Ricketts highlighted the team’s depth and versatility. “This team is deep. We have a lot of talent, and everyone is excited for each other,” she said. “Kiarra Sells had an outstanding weekend, and she continues to improve every year. She’s one of the best hitters in the country, with power and speed.”

The Bulldogs will continue their road trip next week with games at UAB and South Alabama. Their next game is against UAB on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT, which will be streamed on ESPN+. For updates, fans can follow Mississippi State softball on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram under the handle “HailStateSB.”

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