Mississippi State will host UT Martin on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT in its final midweek softball game of the season, broadcast on SEC Network+. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 12 nationally, enter with a 29-6 record and are aiming for their third consecutive 30-win season, which would be the earliest in school history.
The Skyhawks bring one of the most aggressive baserunning teams in the country, ranking among the top 20 nationally with 62 stolen bases and leading the Ohio Valley Conference in runs scored. Mississippi State has relied on strong pitching and defense, allowing fewer than two runs per game and ranking among the top five nationally in fielding percentage.
If the Bulldogs win, they will improve to 30-6, surpassing the quickest 30-win mark set last season in 38 games. They would also secure their earliest season milestone, achieving 30 wins by March 25, bettering the previous record of March 30, 2008.
Offensively, Morgan Stiles has reached base in six straight games, while Kiarra Sells snapped a six-game hitless streak with three hits in the series at Georgia. Alyssa Faircloth ranks third nationally with 152 strikeouts and is close to reaching 200 strikeouts for the season, a feat only five Bulldogs have accomplished in program history.
Mississippi State’s pitching staff leads the nation in strikeouts (320), strikeouts looking (63), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.04). Relief pitchers have posted an ERA of 1.34 with a batting average against of .146, better than the starters’ numbers.
Redshirt freshman Taylor Troutman leads the team with five RBIs and a .706 slugging percentage in SEC play. Des Rivera has tied the school record with five sacrifice flies this season. Nadia Barbary ranks eighth all-time at MSU with 42 career doubles, with 20 coming in SEC games. Troutman and Anna Carder also contribute as pinch hitters, batting .500 and .500 respectively in such situations.
UT Martin, with a 19-13 record and a 7-2 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference, is coached by Chelsea Farmer. The Skyhawks are second in the OVC standings after sweeping Tennessee State last weekend. They have lost all three of their games against SEC opponents this season but have a 3-1 record against teams MSU has also faced this year.
In series history, Mississippi State leads 8-0 overall, including a perfect 5-0 on the road. The teams last met on April 20, 2022, resulting in a 3-2 Bulldog victory. UT Martin has won six straight OVC games and is seeking its first win against SEC teams this season.
Following this game, Mississippi State will host No. 23 South Carolina for a series starting Saturday at 2 p.m. CT, with games on Sunday and Monday on SEC Network at 6 p.m. Each game will feature special events, including the Bulldogs’ annual Think Pink game on Saturday and Faculty/Staff Appreciation on Sunday. Faculty and staff can purchase discounted tickets for Monday’s game using a promo code sent via campus email.
