STARKVILLE, Miss. — Southern Miss Softball (4-2) was edged by No. 19 Mississippi State (5-0) on Tuesday at Nusz Park. The Bulldogs won 5-0, with Mississippi State’s Leila Ammon earning her first victory of the season, according to the team.
Southern Miss’s starting pitcher, Kayla Giardina, took her first loss of the season after a strong start. She threw two scoreless innings before the Bulldogs scored in the third on a sacrifice fly from Nadia Barbary. Giardina pitched well early, but the Bulldogs’ hitters adjusted to her speeds.
Mississippi State added three runs in the sixth inning, including a double from Des Rivera that drove in two runs. The Bulldogs’ offense was led by Rivera, who finished with three RBIs and a home run. The Golden Eagles’ offense struggled to generate consistent hits, with Jolie Hays and Kinsley Gordon-Sivley providing brief sparks.
Southern Miss head coach Natalie Poole praised her team’s efforts despite the loss. “We played all but one inning well. We played good defense all the way through. Kayla gave us a great start. We didn’t adjust enough against their pitchers, who threw well and changed speeds,” Poole said. “It’s a competitive game, and we need to learn from it as we prepare for the weekend.”
The series between the two teams at Nusz Park now stands at 10 meetings, with Mississippi State holding an 8-2 advantage at home. The Bulldogs improved to 5-0, while Southern Miss looks ahead to upcoming games during the Spring Games tournament.
Southern Miss’s next games are scheduled for Feb. 13 against Loyola and Bethune-Cookman, with match times at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. The team will also face Saint John’s and Alabama State on Feb. 14 and Saint John’s again on Feb. 15.
