Wednesday, March 26
Hattiesburg, Miss.
6 p.m.
Mississippi State
28-6
9
at
1
Southern Miss
16-17
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Mississippi State
2
0
5
2
0
9
12
0
Southern Miss
1
0
0
0
0
1
4
3
Bernardini’s Bat Lifts Bulldogs To In-State Victory
March 26, 2025 | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – No. 18 Mississippi State has made a habit of batting around lately and did so again on Wednesday on its way to a 9-1 victory at Southern Miss in five innings. It was MSU's 11th run-rule victory of the season.
Morgan Bernardini drove in four runs on a pair of infield singles. Nadia Barbary hit a two-run homer, and Lexi Sosa scored two with a double. The remaining run came home on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch for Kiarra Sells, who leads the SEC with 12 hit-by-pitches this season.
"I think everyone in the lineup is contributing. It's a different person in every game," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "There's just a lot of confidence, and they do a great job of relaying what they're seeing, what the plan is and any adjustments. I think we're just having good team at-bats, and it's just very contagious for us right now."
Delainey Everett improved to 7-0 on the season, and she is now 11-0 for her career in the circle. Raelin Chaffin threw the final 2.0 frames, striking out three batters and allowing just one hit.
"Delainey continues to give us quality starts and a lot of really strong innings. I think she's been really efficient, which is helpful. She just goes out there and competes. She gives a different look from Raelin [Chaffin], and they make a really tough 1-2 punch for us."
Morgan Bernardini on the team's recent run of batting around…
"I think it's just a confidence booster. It all starts at the top of the lineup, you know. Seeing Sierra [Sacco] and Nadia [Barbary] get on base, it's easy. Hitting is contagious, so it's just keeping it simple, passing the bat and keeping it loose."
Morgan Bernardini on her two hits…
"I was just trying to get on top of the ball. I've been kind of flaring some and just missing under them. I've really been focusing on getting on top of the ball and hitting hard ground balls. You know what? Make them make a play. Shoutout to [strength coach] Marci [Hoppa] for making me a little faster, so hopefully I'm running a few out. I'm just trying to have team at-bats, especially with the bases loaded, and just do a job."
Delainey Everett on what a long offensive inning does for her as a pitcher…
"It gives me a lot of leisure when I go back out there, knowing that the offense had my back. Especially after that first inning was a little rough and I was out there for quite a bit, knowing that they have my back, I'm going to go out there and have theirs too."
The Magic Number – The Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 73 of State's 90 wins (81.1 percent) over the past three seasons, and they are 143-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.
Everybody Up! – Mississippi State has batted around in at least one inning in four of its last five games … the Bulldogs sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run third inning tonight … every starter reached base at least once in the ballgame.
Nadia Barbary – Hit her seventh home run of the season, which is a single-season career high … added a single for her 12th multi-hit game of the year.
Morgan Bernardini – Collected a career-high four RBIs with two infield singles … now has six multi-RBI games and eight multi-hit games on the year.
Delainey Everett – Improved to 7-0 on the season and 11-0 for her career … scattered three hits across 3.0 innings and recorded one strikeout.
Sierra Sacco – MSU improved to 55-8 when she scores a run since 2024 … has reached base in all but two games this year … has a hit in 29 of 34 games this season.
Kiarra Sells – Was hit by a pitch for the SEC-leading 12th time this year, driving in a run … added a double.
Lexi Sosa – Doubled home two runs … posted her eighth multi-RBI game of the year … 12 of her 21 hits this year (57.1percent) have gone for extra bases.
Sierra Sacco led off the game with a single through the left side before Nadia Barbary hit a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center.
No. 18 Mississippi State 2, Southern Miss 0
Bottom 1
Hannah Christian singled to center, and Maddie Weeks bunted her to second. With two outs, Mikaila Fox beat out a single to shortstop, and Christian reached third on the play. Christian then scored on a wild pitch.
No. 18 Mississippi State 2, Southern Miss 1
Top 3
With one out, Barbary singled through the right side, and Jessie Blaine singled through the left side. Both runners advanced and Kylee Edwards reached safely on a fielding error by the shortstop. Gretta Grassel pinch ran for Blaine at second. Kiarra Sells was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Barbary before Morgan Bernardini singled up the middle, driving in Edwards and Grassel. With Sells on third, Bernardini stole second. Both runners scored on Lexi Sosa's double to right field.
No. 18 Mississippi State 7, Southern Miss 1
Top 4
With two outs, Edwards was hit by a pitch. She advanced to third on Sells' double to center. Both runners scored when Bernardini hit a sharp ground ball off the pulled in third baseman that ricocheted into the outfield.
No. 18 Mississippi State 9, Southern Miss 1
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Morgan Bernardini drove in four runs on a pair of infield singles. Nadia Barbary hit a two-run homer, and Lexi Sosa scored two with a double. The remaining run came home on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch for Kiarra Sells, who leads the SEC with 12 hit-by-pitches this season.
"I think everyone in the lineup is contributing. It's a different person in every game," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "There's just a lot of confidence, and they do a great job of relaying what they're seeing, what the plan is and any adjustments. I think we're just having good team at-bats, and it's just very contagious for us right now."
Delainey Everett improved to 7-0 on the season, and she is now 11-0 for her career in the circle. Raelin Chaffin threw the final 2.0 frames, striking out three batters and allowing just one hit.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on what Delainey Everett has brought to the pitching staff…"Delainey continues to give us quality starts and a lot of really strong innings. I think she's been really efficient, which is helpful. She just goes out there and competes. She gives a different look from Raelin [Chaffin], and they make a really tough 1-2 punch for us."
Morgan Bernardini on the team's recent run of batting around…
"I think it's just a confidence booster. It all starts at the top of the lineup, you know. Seeing Sierra [Sacco] and Nadia [Barbary] get on base, it's easy. Hitting is contagious, so it's just keeping it simple, passing the bat and keeping it loose."
Morgan Bernardini on her two hits…
"I was just trying to get on top of the ball. I've been kind of flaring some and just missing under them. I've really been focusing on getting on top of the ball and hitting hard ground balls. You know what? Make them make a play. Shoutout to [strength coach] Marci [Hoppa] for making me a little faster, so hopefully I'm running a few out. I'm just trying to have team at-bats, especially with the bases loaded, and just do a job."
Delainey Everett on what a long offensive inning does for her as a pitcher…
"It gives me a lot of leisure when I go back out there, knowing that the offense had my back. Especially after that first inning was a little rough and I was out there for quite a bit, knowing that they have my back, I'm going to go out there and have theirs too."
Quick Hitters
Our State – The Bulldogs are 28-5 against teams from the state of Mississippi under Samantha Ricketts. MSU has outscored in-state foes, 251-77, in her tenure.The Magic Number – The Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 73 of State's 90 wins (81.1 percent) over the past three seasons, and they are 143-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.
Everybody Up! – Mississippi State has batted around in at least one inning in four of its last five games … the Bulldogs sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run third inning tonight … every starter reached base at least once in the ballgame.
Nadia Barbary – Hit her seventh home run of the season, which is a single-season career high … added a single for her 12th multi-hit game of the year.
Morgan Bernardini – Collected a career-high four RBIs with two infield singles … now has six multi-RBI games and eight multi-hit games on the year.
Delainey Everett – Improved to 7-0 on the season and 11-0 for her career … scattered three hits across 3.0 innings and recorded one strikeout.
Sierra Sacco – MSU improved to 55-8 when she scores a run since 2024 … has reached base in all but two games this year … has a hit in 29 of 34 games this season.
Kiarra Sells – Was hit by a pitch for the SEC-leading 12th time this year, driving in a run … added a double.
Lexi Sosa – Doubled home two runs … posted her eighth multi-RBI game of the year … 12 of her 21 hits this year (57.1percent) have gone for extra bases.
Scoring Recap
Top 1Sierra Sacco led off the game with a single through the left side before Nadia Barbary hit a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center.
No. 18 Mississippi State 2, Southern Miss 0
Bottom 1
Hannah Christian singled to center, and Maddie Weeks bunted her to second. With two outs, Mikaila Fox beat out a single to shortstop, and Christian reached third on the play. Christian then scored on a wild pitch.
No. 18 Mississippi State 2, Southern Miss 1
Top 3
With one out, Barbary singled through the right side, and Jessie Blaine singled through the left side. Both runners advanced and Kylee Edwards reached safely on a fielding error by the shortstop. Gretta Grassel pinch ran for Blaine at second. Kiarra Sells was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Barbary before Morgan Bernardini singled up the middle, driving in Edwards and Grassel. With Sells on third, Bernardini stole second. Both runners scored on Lexi Sosa's double to right field.
No. 18 Mississippi State 7, Southern Miss 1
Top 4
With two outs, Edwards was hit by a pitch. She advanced to third on Sells' double to center. Both runners scored when Bernardini hit a sharp ground ball off the pulled in third baseman that ricocheted into the outfield.
No. 18 Mississippi State 9, Southern Miss 1
Next Up
The Bulldogs are back at home this weekend to host No.1 Texas. The series opener is set for Friday at 6 p.m. and will be MSU's annual Bark in the Park night. Saturday is All For Alex day when every SEC team will wear teal or teal accents in honor of the late Alex Wilcox, who played at MSU in 2018 while battling the ovarian cancer that would ultimately take her life. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, and Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m. All three games will air on SEC Network+.For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Everett, Delainey (7-0)
L: Jana Lee (7-8)
Batting:
2B: Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Sosa, Lexi 1
HR: Barbary, Nadia 1
RBI: Barbary, Nadia 2 ; Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Bernardini, Morgan 4 ; Sosa, Lexi 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sacco, Sierra 1 ; Barbary, Nadia 2 ; Grassel, Gretta 1 ; Edwards, Kylee 2 ; Sells, Kiarra 2 ; Bernardini, Morgan 1
SB: Bernardini, Morgan 1
HBP: Edwards, Kylee 1 ; Sells, Kiarra 1
Batting:
2B: Hannah Christian 1
SH: Maddie Weeks 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hannah Christian 1
SB: Carlee Durham 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
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