Thursday, February 22
Cathedral City, Calif. (Big League Dreams - Des Moines Field)
1:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
UCF
Nationally-Ranked Bulldogs Head To California For Next Challenge
February 21, 2024 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – After winning four straight games against ranked opponents last week, No. 25/20 Mississippi State is headed to California for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, where State will again face a challenging slate.
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The five-game schedule for the Bulldogs begins with two teams that made the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. State opens the tournament against UCF before playing Notre Dame. On Friday, the Bulldogs face their stiffest test of the young season, meeting No. 1/1 Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m. CT. This will mark the fourth year in a row that MSU has played the Sooners. The tournament concludes with games against Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State on Saturday night.
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State (8-1) is led by NCAA Pitcher of the Week Aspen Wesley in the circle, but she is joined by Josey Marron and Matalasi Faapito to give MSU three arms with ERAs below 1.00 this year.
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Offensively, seven Bulldogs have already recorded double-digit total bases, and MSU leads the SEC with a .377 batting average that ranks 11th in the nation. Jessie Blaine has been a force at the plate, leading the team in batting average, RBIs, hits, slugging percentage and total bases. She has put forward an impressive 1.302 OPS this year.
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State is ranked as high as No. 18 this week in the Softball America poll. The Bulldogs are a consensus top-25 team, and are back in all four polls for the first time since reaching the Super Regional round in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
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1 p.m. – vs. UCF | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
4 p.m. – vs. Notre Dame | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Friday, Feb. 23
7:30 p.m. – vs. No. 1/1 Oklahoma | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Saturday, Feb. 24
4:30 p.m. – vs. Cal State Fullerton | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
9:30 p.m. – vs. Fresno State | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Rolling In Ranked Wins: MSU's four-game ranked winning streak is its longest since taking five straight at the end of the 2021 season. State's current streak trails only that 2021 streak (5 games) and a seven-game run in 2004 for the longest in school history.
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Big-Time Blaine: Jessie Blaine leads the team with a 11 RBIs and 20 total bases. She's posted a 1.302 OPS this season. She also leads the team in runs created, per 6-4-3 Charts, at 10.52.
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Stingy Staff: Mississippi State pitchers boast a 0.64 team ERA that ranks fifth nationally. State is also second nationally in WHIP (0.70) and fielding independent pitching (1.18). The Bulldogs have held opponents to a .151 batting average overall, which ranks sixth nationally and third in the SEC.
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Everybody Hits: State ranks 11th nationally and leads the SEC with a .377 team batting average. The Bulldogs also boast a .461 on-base percentage that is 13th nationally. Seven players already have double-digit total bases.
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Magic Number: MSU is 56-2 since the start of 2022 when scoring five or more runs. State scored at least five in 25 of its 27 wins of 2023 and has done so in seven of eight wins in 2024..
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Head Coach: Cindy Ball-Malone | Record at UCF: 191-82-8 (6th Year) | Career Record: 290-198-2 (10th Year)
Batting Average: .362 | Runs Per Game: 7.8 | Hits Per Game: 10.0 | Slugging Pct: .534
ERA: 3.08 | K/7: 5.88 | K/BB Ratio: 1.91 | Opp. Batting Avg: .259
Series History: 1-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-1 | Current Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: Feb. 19, 2023, in Clearwater, Fla. (MSU 5, UCF 6)
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Head Coach: Deanna Gumpf | Record at ND: 861-369-2 (23rd Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .313 | Runs Per Game: 4.9 | Hits Per Game: 8.3 | Slugging Pct: .408
ERA: 3.04 | K/7: 4.75 | K/BB Ratio: 3.27 | Opp. Batting Avg: .259
Series History: 1-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-1 | Current Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: March 1, 2015, in Orlando, Fla. (MSU 6, ND 1)
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Head Coach: Patty Gasso | Record at OU: 1,465-345-2 (30th Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .346 | Runs Per Game: 7.4 | Hits Per Game: 9.0 | Slugging Pct: .581
ERA: 0.50 | K/7: 7.00 | K/BB Ratio: 3.73 | Opp. Batting Avg: .151
Series History: 0-7 | Home: 0-2 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 0-4 | Current Streak: Lost 7
Last Meeting: March 10-11, 2023, OU swept series in Starkville, Miss. (G1: OU, 7-0 | G2: OU, 9-3)
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Head Coach: Kelly Ford | Record at CSUF: 377-224-1 (12th Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .343 | Runs Per Game: 5.1 | Hits Per Game: 9.0 | Slugging Pct: .470
ERA: 2.16 | K/7: 6.48 | K/BB Ratio: 4.50 | Opp. Batting Avg: .213
Series History: 1-6 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-6 | Current Streak: Lost 4
Last Meeting: Feb. 24, 2018, in Cathedral City, Calif. (MSU 1, CSUF 4)
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Head Coach: Stacy May-Johnson | Record at FRES: 48-71 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 84-106 (5th Year)
Batting Average: .332 | Runs Per Game: 4.6 | Hits Per Game: 9.2 | Slugging Pct: .458
ERA: 4.90 | K/7: 4.12 | K/BB Ratio: 1.11 | Opp. Batting Avg: .255
Series History: 1-3 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 1-2 | Current Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: Feb. 16, 2017, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (MSU 4, FRES 1)
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The five-game schedule for the Bulldogs begins with two teams that made the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. State opens the tournament against UCF before playing Notre Dame. On Friday, the Bulldogs face their stiffest test of the young season, meeting No. 1/1 Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m. CT. This will mark the fourth year in a row that MSU has played the Sooners. The tournament concludes with games against Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State on Saturday night.
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State (8-1) is led by NCAA Pitcher of the Week Aspen Wesley in the circle, but she is joined by Josey Marron and Matalasi Faapito to give MSU three arms with ERAs below 1.00 this year.
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Offensively, seven Bulldogs have already recorded double-digit total bases, and MSU leads the SEC with a .377 batting average that ranks 11th in the nation. Jessie Blaine has been a force at the plate, leading the team in batting average, RBIs, hits, slugging percentage and total bases. She has put forward an impressive 1.302 OPS this year.
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State is ranked as high as No. 18 this week in the Softball America poll. The Bulldogs are a consensus top-25 team, and are back in all four polls for the first time since reaching the Super Regional round in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
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Game Coverage
Thursday, Feb. 221 p.m. – vs. UCF | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
4 p.m. – vs. Notre Dame | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Friday, Feb. 23
7:30 p.m. – vs. No. 1/1 Oklahoma | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Saturday, Feb. 24
4:30 p.m. – vs. Cal State Fullerton | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
9:30 p.m. – vs. Fresno State | Watch on FloSoftball | Live Stats
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Leading Off
All About Aspen: Aspen Wesley was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 19) and the NCAA Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 20) after earning two complete-game victories against No. 23 Louisiana (Feb. 13) and No. 8 Clemson (Feb. 17).Â
Rolling In Ranked Wins: MSU's four-game ranked winning streak is its longest since taking five straight at the end of the 2021 season. State's current streak trails only that 2021 streak (5 games) and a seven-game run in 2004 for the longest in school history.
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Big-Time Blaine: Jessie Blaine leads the team with a 11 RBIs and 20 total bases. She's posted a 1.302 OPS this season. She also leads the team in runs created, per 6-4-3 Charts, at 10.52.
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Stingy Staff: Mississippi State pitchers boast a 0.64 team ERA that ranks fifth nationally. State is also second nationally in WHIP (0.70) and fielding independent pitching (1.18). The Bulldogs have held opponents to a .151 batting average overall, which ranks sixth nationally and third in the SEC.
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Everybody Hits: State ranks 11th nationally and leads the SEC with a .377 team batting average. The Bulldogs also boast a .461 on-base percentage that is 13th nationally. Seven players already have double-digit total bases.
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Magic Number: MSU is 56-2 since the start of 2022 when scoring five or more runs. State scored at least five in 25 of its 27 wins of 2023 and has done so in seven of eight wins in 2024..
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About The Opponents
UCF Knights (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Cindy Ball-Malone | Record at UCF: 191-82-8 (6th Year) | Career Record: 290-198-2 (10th Year)
Batting Average: .362 | Runs Per Game: 7.8 | Hits Per Game: 10.0 | Slugging Pct: .534
ERA: 3.08 | K/7: 5.88 | K/BB Ratio: 1.91 | Opp. Batting Avg: .259
Series History: 1-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-1 | Current Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: Feb. 19, 2023, in Clearwater, Fla. (MSU 5, UCF 6)
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-2, 0-0 ACC)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Deanna Gumpf | Record at ND: 861-369-2 (23rd Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .313 | Runs Per Game: 4.9 | Hits Per Game: 8.3 | Slugging Pct: .408
ERA: 3.04 | K/7: 4.75 | K/BB Ratio: 3.27 | Opp. Batting Avg: .259
Series History: 1-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-1 | Current Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: March 1, 2015, in Orlando, Fla. (MSU 6, ND 1)
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Oklahoma Sooners (9-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – 1 | USA Softball – 1 | D1Softball – 1 | Softball America – 1Head Coach: Patty Gasso | Record at OU: 1,465-345-2 (30th Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .346 | Runs Per Game: 7.4 | Hits Per Game: 9.0 | Slugging Pct: .581
ERA: 0.50 | K/7: 7.00 | K/BB Ratio: 3.73 | Opp. Batting Avg: .151
Series History: 0-7 | Home: 0-2 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 0-4 | Current Streak: Lost 7
Last Meeting: March 10-11, 2023, OU swept series in Starkville, Miss. (G1: OU, 7-0 | G2: OU, 9-3)
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Cal State Fullerton Titans (6-3, 0-0 Big West)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Kelly Ford | Record at CSUF: 377-224-1 (12th Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .343 | Runs Per Game: 5.1 | Hits Per Game: 9.0 | Slugging Pct: .470
ERA: 2.16 | K/7: 6.48 | K/BB Ratio: 4.50 | Opp. Batting Avg: .213
Series History: 1-6 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-6 | Current Streak: Lost 4
Last Meeting: Feb. 24, 2018, in Cathedral City, Calif. (MSU 1, CSUF 4)
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Fresno State Bulldogs (6-4, 0-0 Mountain West)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Stacy May-Johnson | Record at FRES: 48-71 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 84-106 (5th Year)
Batting Average: .332 | Runs Per Game: 4.6 | Hits Per Game: 9.2 | Slugging Pct: .458
ERA: 4.90 | K/7: 4.12 | K/BB Ratio: 1.11 | Opp. Batting Avg: .255
Series History: 1-3 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 1-2 | Current Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: Feb. 16, 2017, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (MSU 4, FRES 1)
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On Deck
The Bulldogs return home to Starkville on Feb. 29 to open the Bulldog Invitational presented by C Spire at Nusz Park. MSU will welcome Southern Miss, Troy, Alcorn State and Samford for the four-day event. State is set to meet Southern Miss on Feb. 29 before playing Troy on March 1. MSU plays both Alcorn State and Troy on Saturday, March 2, before closing the tournament on Sunday against Alcorn State and Samford.Â
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Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."Â
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Players Mentioned
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