Friday, March 28
Starkville
4 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
#1 Texas
No. 18 Bulldogs Prepare To Host No. 1 Texas
March 27, 2025 | Softball
STARKVILLE – No. 18 Mississippi State returns to Nusz Park after an impressive 9-1 victory over Southern Miss to face the nation's consensus No. 1 team – Texas. The Bulldogs and the Longhorns are now scheduled to open the three-game series on Friday at 4 p.m. CT.
The adjusted schedule will allow for flexibility to move Saturday's scheduled start time earlier in the day if necessary due to weather. A decision on Saturday's game time has not been made at this time and will be determined on Friday.
This weekend marks Texas's first trip to Nusz Park, and it is also the first time the teams will meet as SEC opponents. The Longhorns are 8-2 against ranked opponents this season, while the Bulldogs are 7-2. Both teams are currently 5-1 in SEC play and tied second in the league standings.
MSU has now won 11 games by run rule this season, and the Bulldogs have batted around at least once in four of their last five contests. Morgan Bernardini has been hot recently, reaching base in a career-best 13 consecutive games.
State boasts two quality arms in the circle. Raelin Chaffin and Delainey Everett are both among the top 20 in the nation in ERA. Chaffin leads the SEC with 15 wins, which ranks second in the nation. Meanwhile, Everett improved to 7-0 on Wednesday and is now 11-0 for her career.
It's a busy weekend at Nusz Park. Friday night is State's annual Bark in the Park game where fans may bring their dogs with them. All dog owners must have a ticket and sign a waiver prior to bringing their pet inside the park. Saturday is the SEC's fifth annual All For Alex day, when all teams across the conference will wear teal in honor of the late Alex Wilcox. Finally, kids can run the bases following the series finale on Sunday.
4 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Saturday, March 29
2 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Sunday, March 30
1 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Take It From The Top: Sierra Sacco, Nadia Barbary and Jessie Blaine are all hitting above .350 individually. Over the last six games since the lineup was shuffled to put that trio 1-2-3, they are hitting a combined .476 (30-for-63) with five doubles, two triples, two homers and 16 RBIs. MSU is 5-1 when they make up the top third of the lineup.
SEC Start: MSU has started SEC play with a 5-1 record for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs are 8-2 over their last 10 conference games dating back to last season with three series victories.
Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco is among the top 10 nationally in batting average (8th), hits (4th), doubles (8th) and on-base percentage (5th). She leads the nation in runs, and MSU is 55-8 when she scores since the start of last year. Her .708 on-base percentage in conference games leads the SEC, and her SEC – only batting average (.588) is second in the league.
Two Tough Arms: Raelin Chaffin and Delainey Everett are among the top 20 national ERA leaders. Chaffin's 1.39 ERA is fifth in the SEC and 16th in the NCAA, while Everett's 1.45 is sixth in the league and 20th nationally.
Call The Bomb Squad: State's 47 long balls rank 16th nationally. MSU has scored 96 runs on homers this year, which accounts for 39.0 percent of its scoring, and the Bulldogs have tied the school record with five grand slams.
Fifty-Fifty: MSU is on pace for its first 50 homer-50 stolen base season since 2018. State has accomplished that feat two other times in 2015 and 2013 as well. MSU currently has 47 homers and 39 stolen bases in 2025.
Where Are You Going?: Jessie Blaine and Ella Wesolowski have combined to pick off six runners, which is as many as all other SEC teams combined. Blaine's five pickoffs are one shy of the MSU single-season record, and she has also caught three runners stealing.
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.
Head Coach: Mike White | Record at Texas: 260-81-2 (6th Year) | Career Record: 695-191-3 (15th year)
Batting Average: .384 | Runs Per Game: 2.51 | Hits Per Game: 5.06 | Slugging Pct: .652
ERA: 1.82 | K/7: 7.97 | K/BB Ratio: 4.30 | Opp. Batting Avg: .189
Current Streak: Lost 6 | Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2021, in Austin, Texas (TEX 8, MSU 7)
The Bulldogs and Longhorns will meet for the first time in Nusz Park this weekend and for the first time as SEC opponents. Texas, the consensus No. 1 team in the nation, is 8-2 against ranked opponents this season with a recent series sweep of #25/RV Auburn. A trio of Texas players earned weekly awards after that series. Ashton Maloney is the reigning SEC Player of the Week, Teagan Lavan was named D1Softball's Pitcher of the Week and Katie Stewart was named a Softball America Star of the Week. Mike White was named Big 12 Coach of the Year last spring and has been inducted into seven different Halls of Fame for his playing and coaching efforts.
The adjusted schedule will allow for flexibility to move Saturday's scheduled start time earlier in the day if necessary due to weather. A decision on Saturday's game time has not been made at this time and will be determined on Friday.
This weekend marks Texas's first trip to Nusz Park, and it is also the first time the teams will meet as SEC opponents. The Longhorns are 8-2 against ranked opponents this season, while the Bulldogs are 7-2. Both teams are currently 5-1 in SEC play and tied second in the league standings.
MSU has now won 11 games by run rule this season, and the Bulldogs have batted around at least once in four of their last five contests. Morgan Bernardini has been hot recently, reaching base in a career-best 13 consecutive games.
State boasts two quality arms in the circle. Raelin Chaffin and Delainey Everett are both among the top 20 in the nation in ERA. Chaffin leads the SEC with 15 wins, which ranks second in the nation. Meanwhile, Everett improved to 7-0 on Wednesday and is now 11-0 for her career.
It's a busy weekend at Nusz Park. Friday night is State's annual Bark in the Park game where fans may bring their dogs with them. All dog owners must have a ticket and sign a waiver prior to bringing their pet inside the park. Saturday is the SEC's fifth annual All For Alex day, when all teams across the conference will wear teal in honor of the late Alex Wilcox. Finally, kids can run the bases following the series finale on Sunday.
Game Coverage
Friday, March 284 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Saturday, March 29
2 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Sunday, March 30
1 p.m. – Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
Leading Off
Top Team In Town: For the fifth straight year MSU will play the nation's No. 1 team; however, MSU's last series with a No. 1 team came in 2016 at Florida. The Bulldogs' last win over No. 1 came at home on April 8, 2015, against LSU (9-4).Take It From The Top: Sierra Sacco, Nadia Barbary and Jessie Blaine are all hitting above .350 individually. Over the last six games since the lineup was shuffled to put that trio 1-2-3, they are hitting a combined .476 (30-for-63) with five doubles, two triples, two homers and 16 RBIs. MSU is 5-1 when they make up the top third of the lineup.
SEC Start: MSU has started SEC play with a 5-1 record for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs are 8-2 over their last 10 conference games dating back to last season with three series victories.
Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco is among the top 10 nationally in batting average (8th), hits (4th), doubles (8th) and on-base percentage (5th). She leads the nation in runs, and MSU is 55-8 when she scores since the start of last year. Her .708 on-base percentage in conference games leads the SEC, and her SEC – only batting average (.588) is second in the league.
Two Tough Arms: Raelin Chaffin and Delainey Everett are among the top 20 national ERA leaders. Chaffin's 1.39 ERA is fifth in the SEC and 16th in the NCAA, while Everett's 1.45 is sixth in the league and 20th nationally.
Call The Bomb Squad: State's 47 long balls rank 16th nationally. MSU has scored 96 runs on homers this year, which accounts for 39.0 percent of its scoring, and the Bulldogs have tied the school record with five grand slams.
Fifty-Fifty: MSU is on pace for its first 50 homer-50 stolen base season since 2018. State has accomplished that feat two other times in 2015 and 2013 as well. MSU currently has 47 homers and 39 stolen bases in 2025.
Where Are You Going?: Jessie Blaine and Ella Wesolowski have combined to pick off six runners, which is as many as all other SEC teams combined. Blaine's five pickoffs are one shy of the MSU single-season record, and she has also caught three runners stealing.
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.
About Texas (32-2, 5-1 SEC)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – 1 | USA Softball – 1 | D1Softball – 1 | Softball America – 1Head Coach: Mike White | Record at Texas: 260-81-2 (6th Year) | Career Record: 695-191-3 (15th year)
Batting Average: .384 | Runs Per Game: 2.51 | Hits Per Game: 5.06 | Slugging Pct: .652
ERA: 1.82 | K/7: 7.97 | K/BB Ratio: 4.30 | Opp. Batting Avg: .189
Series History
Overall: 0-6 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-3 | Neutral: 0-3Current Streak: Lost 6 | Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2021, in Austin, Texas (TEX 8, MSU 7)
Notables
The Bulldogs and Longhorns will meet for the first time in Nusz Park this weekend and for the first time as SEC opponents. Texas, the consensus No. 1 team in the nation, is 8-2 against ranked opponents this season with a recent series sweep of #25/RV Auburn. A trio of Texas players earned weekly awards after that series. Ashton Maloney is the reigning SEC Player of the Week, Teagan Lavan was named D1Softball's Pitcher of the Week and Katie Stewart was named a Softball America Star of the Week. Mike White was named Big 12 Coach of the Year last spring and has been inducted into seven different Halls of Fame for his playing and coaching efforts.
On Deck
The Bulldogs will play their final midweek and final non-conference game against Central Arkansas at Nusz Park on Tuesday, April 1 at 5 p.m. From there State heads to Knoxville to take on No. 9 Tennessee on April 4-6.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Players Mentioned
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