First-Ever Ranked Matchup Between In-State Rivals Closes Regular Season

STARKVILLE – For the first time in the history of the rivalry, Mississippi State and Ole Miss will meet with both programs ranked inside the NFCA Top 25.

The No. 18 Bulldogs (35-15, 11-10 SEC) will host the No. 17 Rebels (34-14, 10-11 SEC) for three games beginning Thursday evening to close the regular season. The series is not just historic for its ranking significance, but it will also play a critical role in determining SEC Tournament seeding and which school in the state has the strongest resume to present to the NCAA Tournament committee in hopes of hosting a regional.

With a series win, State would finish conference play above .500 for the first time since 2001 (19-11) and head coach Samantha Ricketts would break the school record for ranked wins by a head coach.

The Bulldogs enter the series leading the SEC in batting average in SEC play (.297) and among the top three in slugging percentage (.511), doubles (30) and runs scored (120). State has already broken the school's single-season RBI record and sits just one run shy of the program record for runs scored in a year.

Thursday night's game will feature a pregame, on-field graduation ceremony for the Bulldogs' senior class. It is also Samoan Heritage Night. Friday's game is Mental Health Awareness night, and the regular-season finale on Saturday will be the Bulldogs' senior day. That game will air nationally on SEC Network.

Game Coverage

Leading Off

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. This will be the first time in the history of the two programs that MSU and Ole Miss meet when both teams are ranked in the NFCA poll.

Golden Girls: Sierra Sacco and Raelin Chaffin both received Golden Tickets into the AUSL College Draft on Tuesday night. MSU is one of two teams nationally with multiple Golden Ticket recipients. They will become State's 14th and 15th draft picks on Saturday, May 3.

Ricketts' Record Year: MSU is just two wins shy of Samantha Ricketts' highest win total in a season with at least four games remaining. MSU's team slugging percentage (.557) and on-base percentage (.417) would be single-season school records, and its batting average (.323) would rank second in program history.

Taking Down Top Teams: Samantha Ricketts boasts 43 victories against NFCA-ranked opponents in her coaching career, which ranks second all-time at Mississippi State. With a series win this weekend, she would break the program record.

On The Attack: MSU leads the SEC in conference play in batting average (.297) and percentage of leadoff batters reaching base (47.4 percent).

Fifty-Fifty: The Bulldogs are on pace for their 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 69 homers and 46 stolen bases.

Quick Start: The Bulldogs are 23-4 when they score in the first inning this year. State has scored first in six straight games. Sierra Sacco has led off the game with a homer three times this year, including twice on the game's very first pitch.

Sierra Sets The Table: Sierra Sacco is among the top 10 nationally in batting average (8th), hits (9th), runs (8th) and runs per game (10th). MSU is 62-12 when she scores since the start of last year.

Keep It Clean: MSU's .968 team fielding percentage is its highest since 2014 (.976). Two starters remain errorless. Jessie Blaine has gone 231 consecutive chances without an error, which is the sixth-longest streak in school history, and Sierra Sacco has not made an error since 2023.

About Ole Miss (34-14, 10-11 SEC)

Series History

Notables

Ole Miss sits on the regional hosting bubble along with the Bulldogs, and this weekend's series will be critical in determining SEC Tournament seeding as well as which program in the state will present the best resume to the NCAA Tournament committee. The Rebels rank 12th in the nation with 13 shutouts this year and are eighth in hit-by-pitches as a team (49). Miali Guachino leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally with six shutouts. Her 164 strikeouts rank fourth in the SEC. Meanwhile, offensively only two SEC hitters have struck out less often than Persy Llamas (one strikeout every 20.1 at-bats).

On Deck

The postseason begins on Tuesday, May 6, with the first round of the SEC Tournament in Athens, Georgia. The Nos. 10-15 seeds will play on Tuesday with the first game beginning at noon CT. Seeds Nos. 5-9 will begin play on Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. The top four seeds get a double by to the quarterfinals on Thursday. Every game of the SEC Tournament will be broadcast on SEC Network.

Follow the Bulldogs

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

First-Ever Ranked Matchup Between In-State Rivals Closes Regular Season

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jessie Blaine

Raelin Chaffin

Sierra Sacco

Mississippi State University Athletics

First-Ever Ranked Matchup Between In-State Rivals Closes Regular Season

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jessie Blaine

Raelin Chaffin

Sierra Sacco

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