Friday, February 28
Starkville
3 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
Alabama State
MSU Hosts Bulldog Invitational Presented By C Spire
February 27, 2025 | Softball
STARKVILLE – The No. 21 Mississippi State softball team will continue its longest homestand of the season this weekend as Nusz Park prepares to host The Bulldog Invitational presented by C Spire.
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MSU welcomes Alabama State, New Mexico and Northwestern State this weekend as the Bulldogs will play five games in three days. The tournament will begin with a 3 p.m. tilt versus Alabama State on Friday before the Bulldogs conclude the night at 5:30 p.m. against New Mexico for their first matchup with the Lobos in 28 years.
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Saturday's action will begin at 12:30 p.m. when Mississippi State meets Northwestern State. The Bulldogs then play New Mexico for a second time. State rounds out the tournament on Sunday with a final meeting with Northwestern State at 12:30 p.m.
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Mississippi State has hosted the Bulldog Invitational every year since 2016 and boasts a 39-4 record in the event. The Bulldogs are anchored by ace Raelin Chaffin, who leads the nation in complete games and ranks third in wins. More than half of MSU's 14 wins have been attributed to Chaffin. Offensively, the outfield trio of Morgan Bernardini, Sierra Sacco and Kiarra Sells are pacing State at the plate.
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3 p.m. - Alabama State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
5:30 p.m. - New Mexico | Watch on SEC Network+ Â | Live Stats
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Saturday, Mar. 1
12:30 p.m. – Northwestern State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – New Mexico | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Sunday, Mar. 2
12:30 p.m. – Northwestern State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Home Cooking: State's batting average is 127 points higher at home, and its slugging percentage is 312 points higher than when away from home. Sixty-four percent (64-of-100) of MSU's RBIs have come at home despite playing two fewer home games than neutral site games this year.
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Outstanding Outfield: The Bulldogs top three hitters in terms of batting average are their starting outfielders. That trio also has the top three run totals on the team, and they are all among the top four in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, total bases and RBIs.
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Staff Stats: MSU's pitching staff is among the top 25 nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.66), WHIP (1.08) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.42).
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Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco has batted leadoff in every game of her collegiate career (185 consecutive games). For her career, she has reached safely in 51.2 percent (147-of-287) leadoff opportunities. MSU is 42-7 when scores a run since she arrived in 2024.
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Delainey Delivers: Delainey Everett made three appearances last week, winning all three. She picked up a save prior to that giving her a win or a save in four straight outings. The sophomore currently boasts a 0.62 ERA that would lead the team if she had enough innings to qualify.
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Beat The Streak: Kylee Edwards is riding career-long five-game hitting and nine-game reached base streaks. She boasts a 1.012 OPS over the last nine games. Sierra Sacco's reached-base streak has reached 14 games, and she boasts a 1.427 OPS in that span.
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Magic Number: The Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 61 of State's 76 wins (80.3 percent) over the past three seasons. The Bulldogs are 131-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.
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Head Coach: Camise Patterson | Record at ASU: 1-14 (1st Year) | Career Record: 47-58 (3rd Year)
Batting Average: .229 | Runs Per Game: 2.67 | Hits Per Game: 5.47 | Slugging Pct: .288
ERA: 9.17 | K/7: 2.12 | K/BB Ratio: 0.3 | Opp. Batting Avg: .369
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Current Streak: Won 10 | Last Meeting: Mar. 20, 2024, in Montgomery, Ala. (MSU 10, ASU 2)
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Head Coach: Nicole Dickson | Record at UNM: 42-78-1 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 180-201-1 (9th Year)
Batting Average: .246 | Runs Per Game: 4.47 | Hits Per Game: 6.53 | Slugging Pct: .344
ERA: 7.47 | K/7: 6.81 | K/BB Ratio: 1.86 | Opp. Batting Avg: .261
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Current Streak: Won 2 | Last Meeting: Mar. 15, 1997, in San Jose, Calif. (MSU 7, UNM 2)
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Head Coach: Jenny Fuller | Record at NSU: 1-14 (1st Year) | Career Record: 250-185 (10th Year)
Batting Average: .186 | Runs Per Game: 1.67 | Hits Per Game: 4.53 | Slugging Pct: .244
ERA: 7.47 | K/7: 2.07 | K/BB Ratio: 0.49 | Opp. Batting Avg: .325
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Current Streak: Lost 2 | Last Meeting: Mar 4, 2016, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 0, NSU 1)
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Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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MSU welcomes Alabama State, New Mexico and Northwestern State this weekend as the Bulldogs will play five games in three days. The tournament will begin with a 3 p.m. tilt versus Alabama State on Friday before the Bulldogs conclude the night at 5:30 p.m. against New Mexico for their first matchup with the Lobos in 28 years.
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Saturday's action will begin at 12:30 p.m. when Mississippi State meets Northwestern State. The Bulldogs then play New Mexico for a second time. State rounds out the tournament on Sunday with a final meeting with Northwestern State at 12:30 p.m.
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Mississippi State has hosted the Bulldog Invitational every year since 2016 and boasts a 39-4 record in the event. The Bulldogs are anchored by ace Raelin Chaffin, who leads the nation in complete games and ranks third in wins. More than half of MSU's 14 wins have been attributed to Chaffin. Offensively, the outfield trio of Morgan Bernardini, Sierra Sacco and Kiarra Sells are pacing State at the plate.
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Game Coverage
Friday, Feb. 283 p.m. - Alabama State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
5:30 p.m. - New Mexico | Watch on SEC Network+ Â | Live Stats
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Saturday, Mar. 1
12:30 p.m. – Northwestern State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – New Mexico | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Sunday, Mar. 2
12:30 p.m. – Northwestern State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Leading Off
Ace Unlocked: Raelin Chaffin's eight wins and 60 strikeouts in the team's first 16 games are the most by an MSU pitcher since 2015 when Alexis Silkwood struck out 77 and posted a 9-2 record over State's first 16 contests. That year also marked the last time an MSU pitcher struck out 200 batters in a single season, something that has only occurred five times.Â
Home Cooking: State's batting average is 127 points higher at home, and its slugging percentage is 312 points higher than when away from home. Sixty-four percent (64-of-100) of MSU's RBIs have come at home despite playing two fewer home games than neutral site games this year.
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Outstanding Outfield: The Bulldogs top three hitters in terms of batting average are their starting outfielders. That trio also has the top three run totals on the team, and they are all among the top four in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, total bases and RBIs.
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Staff Stats: MSU's pitching staff is among the top 25 nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.66), WHIP (1.08) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.42).
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Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco has batted leadoff in every game of her collegiate career (185 consecutive games). For her career, she has reached safely in 51.2 percent (147-of-287) leadoff opportunities. MSU is 42-7 when scores a run since she arrived in 2024.
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Delainey Delivers: Delainey Everett made three appearances last week, winning all three. She picked up a save prior to that giving her a win or a save in four straight outings. The sophomore currently boasts a 0.62 ERA that would lead the team if she had enough innings to qualify.
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Beat The Streak: Kylee Edwards is riding career-long five-game hitting and nine-game reached base streaks. She boasts a 1.012 OPS over the last nine games. Sierra Sacco's reached-base streak has reached 14 games, and she boasts a 1.427 OPS in that span.
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Magic Number: The Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 61 of State's 76 wins (80.3 percent) over the past three seasons. The Bulldogs are 131-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.
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About Alabama State (1-14, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Camise Patterson | Record at ASU: 1-14 (1st Year) | Career Record: 47-58 (3rd Year)
Batting Average: .229 | Runs Per Game: 2.67 | Hits Per Game: 5.47 | Slugging Pct: .288
ERA: 9.17 | K/7: 2.12 | K/BB Ratio: 0.3 | Opp. Batting Avg: .369
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Series History
Overall: 10-0 | Home: 5-0 | Away: 3-0 | Neutral: 2-0Current Streak: Won 10 | Last Meeting: Mar. 20, 2024, in Montgomery, Ala. (MSU 10, ASU 2)
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About New Mexico (7-9-1, 0-0 Mountain West)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Nicole Dickson | Record at UNM: 42-78-1 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 180-201-1 (9th Year)
Batting Average: .246 | Runs Per Game: 4.47 | Hits Per Game: 6.53 | Slugging Pct: .344
ERA: 7.47 | K/7: 6.81 | K/BB Ratio: 1.86 | Opp. Batting Avg: .261
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Series History
Overall: 2-0 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 2-0Current Streak: Won 2 | Last Meeting: Mar. 15, 1997, in San Jose, Calif. (MSU 7, UNM 2)
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About Northwestern State (1-14, 0-0 Southland)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Jenny Fuller | Record at NSU: 1-14 (1st Year) | Career Record: 250-185 (10th Year)
Batting Average: .186 | Runs Per Game: 1.67 | Hits Per Game: 4.53 | Slugging Pct: .244
ERA: 7.47 | K/7: 2.07 | K/BB Ratio: 0.49 | Opp. Batting Avg: .325
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Series History
Overall: 8-5 | Home: 5-3 | Away: 2-2 | Neutral: 1-0Current Streak: Lost 2 | Last Meeting: Mar 4, 2016, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 0, NSU 1)
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On Deck
The Bulldogs remain home next week for their seventh game of their current 11-game homestand. State hosts Louisiana on Wednesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. CT. From there it's on to conference play as the Bulldogs welcome No. 20 Auburn to Nusz Park on March 8-10.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."
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Players Mentioned
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