Bulldogs Open Season At NFCA Leadoff Classic

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Opening Day has arrived. No. 24/25 Mississippi State softball will begin its 2025 campaign in Clearwater, Florida, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 7-9.

It's a tough season-opening test for the Bulldogs who will face a slate that features four of five opponents ranked in at least one poll. The last time State played in the NFCA Leadoff Classic was the opening weekend of Samantha Ricketts' head coaching tenure in 2020 when MSU went 4-0 and won the event.

The Bulldogs return a dozen players, including five starting position players and four pitchers. They are coming off a season that saw them climb as high as No. 11 in one poll, finish sixth in the SEC and return to the NCAA Tournament while setting school records for ranked wins (14) and run-rule victories (15).

Game Coverage

Friday, Feb. 7

4 p.m. – vs. No. 13/10 Texas Tech | Watch on GameChanger | Live Stats
7 p.m. – vs. No. 7/8 Duke | Watch on GameChanger| Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 8

2 p.m. – vs. Bethune-Cookman | Watch on GameChanger| Live Stats
5 p.m. – vs. Penn State | Watch on GameChanger| Live Stats

Sunday, Feb. 10

12 p.m. – vs. No. 19/16 Nebraska | Watch on GameChanger | Live Stats

Leading Off

Back To The Beginning: Mississippi State returns to the NFCA Leadoff Classic for the first time since winning the event in 2020. The Bulldogs went 4-0 in what was Samantha Ricketts' head coaching debut. State went 3-2 in its last trip to Clearwater for the 2023 ESPN TaxAct Clearwater Invitational.

Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco enters 2025 as the SEC's returning leader with 83 career stolen bases, which also ranks fourth nationally. MSU is 30-7 when Sacco scores a run since she arrived in 2024. She led the team with a .347 batting average, 13 multi-hit games and a .492 on-base percentage that ranked sixth in the SEC in 2024.

Taking Down Top Teams: State won a school-record 14 games against ranked teams in 2024. MSU also had 11 wins against RPI top-25 teams, which was tied for seventh nationally. MSU is scheduled to play 21 games against nine teams ranked in the top 25 of the preseason NFCA poll in 2025.

Defensive Details: The Bulldogs turned 19 double plays last year, their highest total since turning 19 in 2017. Their .962 team fielding percentage was the program's highest since the shortened 2020 season (.967) and the 2017 season (.965) before that.

Magic Number: The Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 50 of State's 62 wins (80.6 percent) over the past two seasons. The Bulldogs are 120-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.

Fresh Faces: Five Bulldogs have been tabbed to Softball America's Freshman Watch List, which was tied for the most in the nation.

About Texas Tech (0-0, 0-0 Big 12)

About Duke (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

About Bethune-Cookman (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)

About Penn State (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

About Nebraska (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

On Deck

The Bulldogs will open their home slate at Nusz Park by hosting The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery on Feb. 13-16. Mississippi State will welcome Southern Illinois, North Texas, Bradley and Georgia Tech to Starkville, and the Bulldogs are set to play five games over the four-day event.

Follow the Bulldogs

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

Bulldogs Open Season At NFCA Leadoff Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sierra Sacco

Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldogs Open Season At NFCA Leadoff Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sierra Sacco

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