Wednesday, February 18
Starkville
4 p.m.
Mississippi State
11-0
8
vs
4
Memphis
3-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Memphis
0
1
0
3
0
0
0
4
4
4
Mississippi State
0
0
7
0
1
0
X
8
6
1
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Bernardini Blasts Bulldogs To Midweek Win
February 18, 2026 | Softball
STARKVILLE – In a game that saw 11 of 12 runs scored on homers, Morgan Bernardini's grand slam proved to be the difference as No. 14 Mississippi State defeated Memphis, 8-4, on Wednesday afternoon.
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State (11-0) sent 11 batters to the plate in the third inning. Kiarra Sells got the Bulldogs on the board, erasing a 1-0 deficit with a three-run homer. Four batters later, Bernardini blasted her ball over the left field wall to make it a 7-1 ballgame.
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"I thought we did a good job early on about not pressing when they scored first and we didn't score the first couple innings," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "It was a really good response to make some adjustments there in the third. I think it was sparked by Gabby [Schaeffer] at the bottom of the order finding a way on base and getting some runners on in front of Kiarra [Sells]. We had a big, big swing when we needed it to get in the lead there, and then the same for Morgan Bernardini later in that same inning. We were just continuing to pass the bat, having team at bats, finding ways on base so that we can have a kind of knockout punch there."
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Memphis would add three runs in the top of the fourth on back-to-back homers, but MSU starter Leila Ammon re-entered the game and silenced the Tigers (3-6) for the next two innings. Peja Goold tossed the final 2.0 innings without allowing a base runner.
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"I know that, lately, I haven't been producing runs or doing my job, so I really focused on that. In that position at the plate, she kept throwing in, and I just said I was going to foul it off. I was up on the plate, and I just fouled it off and fouled it off until it finally came. I knew she was going to throw the outside pitch eventually, and that was my mindset through that entire at bat. I was attacking what was there. There was a specific pitch that I was looking for, so it was about getting rid of the other ones and really hunting that one."
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Peja Goold on getting comfortable with a new team in the circle…
"I'm feeling good. It gives me a lot of confidence that my coaches rely on me if the game is getting tight or the other team is getting the momentum a little bit. I can take it back. It means a lot to me, so I'm grateful for all the opportunities they have given me."
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Samantha Ricketts on Peja Goold hitting 500 strikeouts…
"I think she continues to be a real mature leader for us out on the mound. She just commands it, settles things down and just provides such a different look. That's why she's a tough matchup. She's a tough matchup for most teams. Her after Leila [Ammon], Brinkley [Moreton] or whoever it might be is going to be a little bit of a different look. It really helps us to utilize the whole staff, approaching and mixing and matching as needed. I just love her confidence. I love the way she comes in, attacks and goes right at hitters with mix of different pitches."
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Leila Ammon – Went 5.0 innings, striking out six … has struck out 22 batters over her last three appearances.
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Morgan Bernardini – Hit the 61st grand slam in program history … blast was her first home run of the year … now boasts nine RBIs, which ranks second on the team.
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Peja Goold – Recorded her 500th career strikeout … one of 11 active players nationally with 500 career strikeouts.
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Kinley Keller – Extended her reached-base streak to six games with a walk.
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Kiarra Sells – Walked to extend her reached-base streak to eight games, the second-longest active streak on the team … hit a three-run home run and leads the team with four homers this year … also stole her team-leading third base ... she is now second on the team with four multi-hit games.
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Morgan Stiles – Extended her reached-base streak to a career-best-tying 15 games dating back to last year … has reached base to open State's half of the first inning in eight of 11 games this year … batting .521 (25-for-48) during the streak with seven walks.
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With two outs, Faith Brown hit a solo home run to right field.
Memphis 1, No. 19 Mississippi State 0
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Bottom 3
Gabby Scaheffer led off with an infield single before Morgan Stiles was hit by a pitch. Nadia Barbary lined out to short but a throw behind Stiles skipped away, allowing Schaeffer to take third. Kiarra Sells homered to right field, driving in three. With one out, Anna Carder drew a walk. Ally Supan pinch ran for Carder, and Abby Grace Richardson also drew a walk before Kinley Keller reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. An error on the play allowed Richardson to reach second safely, loading the bases. Morgan Bernardini hit a one-out grand slam to left field.
Memphis 1, No. 19 Mississippi State 7
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Top 4
Kylie Waldrep led off with a walk. Mya Clark and Kennedy Semien then hit back-to-back home runs.
Memphis 4, No. 19 Mississippi State 7
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Bottom 5
With two outs, Des Rivera reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Gretta Grassel pinch ran for Rivera, and Taylor Troutman pinch hit. Troutman singled through the right side, scoring Grassel.
Memphis 4, No. 19 Mississippi State 8
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State's action begins at 12:30 p.m. on Friday against Belmont in a matchup of the top two pitching staffs nationally in strikeouts. MSU then hosts Samford at 3 p.m. All MSU games in the tournament will air on SEC Network+.
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For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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State (11-0) sent 11 batters to the plate in the third inning. Kiarra Sells got the Bulldogs on the board, erasing a 1-0 deficit with a three-run homer. Four batters later, Bernardini blasted her ball over the left field wall to make it a 7-1 ballgame.
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"I thought we did a good job early on about not pressing when they scored first and we didn't score the first couple innings," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "It was a really good response to make some adjustments there in the third. I think it was sparked by Gabby [Schaeffer] at the bottom of the order finding a way on base and getting some runners on in front of Kiarra [Sells]. We had a big, big swing when we needed it to get in the lead there, and then the same for Morgan Bernardini later in that same inning. We were just continuing to pass the bat, having team at bats, finding ways on base so that we can have a kind of knockout punch there."
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Memphis would add three runs in the top of the fourth on back-to-back homers, but MSU starter Leila Ammon re-entered the game and silenced the Tigers (3-6) for the next two innings. Peja Goold tossed the final 2.0 innings without allowing a base runner.
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Quotables
Kiarra Sells on her home run to jump start the offense…"I know that, lately, I haven't been producing runs or doing my job, so I really focused on that. In that position at the plate, she kept throwing in, and I just said I was going to foul it off. I was up on the plate, and I just fouled it off and fouled it off until it finally came. I knew she was going to throw the outside pitch eventually, and that was my mindset through that entire at bat. I was attacking what was there. There was a specific pitch that I was looking for, so it was about getting rid of the other ones and really hunting that one."
Â
Peja Goold on getting comfortable with a new team in the circle…
"I'm feeling good. It gives me a lot of confidence that my coaches rely on me if the game is getting tight or the other team is getting the momentum a little bit. I can take it back. It means a lot to me, so I'm grateful for all the opportunities they have given me."
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Samantha Ricketts on Peja Goold hitting 500 strikeouts…
"I think she continues to be a real mature leader for us out on the mound. She just commands it, settles things down and just provides such a different look. That's why she's a tough matchup. She's a tough matchup for most teams. Her after Leila [Ammon], Brinkley [Moreton] or whoever it might be is going to be a little bit of a different look. It really helps us to utilize the whole staff, approaching and mixing and matching as needed. I just love her confidence. I love the way she comes in, attacks and goes right at hitters with mix of different pitches."
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Quick Hitters
The Magic Number – MSU has scored five or more runs in 91 of State's 112 wins (81.3 percent) since 2023 … State is 161-20 when scoring five or more under Coach Ricketts … the Bulldogs have scored five or more runs in 10 of 11 games this season.Â
Leila Ammon – Went 5.0 innings, striking out six … has struck out 22 batters over her last three appearances.
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Morgan Bernardini – Hit the 61st grand slam in program history … blast was her first home run of the year … now boasts nine RBIs, which ranks second on the team.
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Peja Goold – Recorded her 500th career strikeout … one of 11 active players nationally with 500 career strikeouts.
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Kinley Keller – Extended her reached-base streak to six games with a walk.
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Kiarra Sells – Walked to extend her reached-base streak to eight games, the second-longest active streak on the team … hit a three-run home run and leads the team with four homers this year … also stole her team-leading third base ... she is now second on the team with four multi-hit games.
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Morgan Stiles – Extended her reached-base streak to a career-best-tying 15 games dating back to last year … has reached base to open State's half of the first inning in eight of 11 games this year … batting .521 (25-for-48) during the streak with seven walks.
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Scoring Recap
Top 2With two outs, Faith Brown hit a solo home run to right field.
Memphis 1, No. 19 Mississippi State 0
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Bottom 3
Gabby Scaheffer led off with an infield single before Morgan Stiles was hit by a pitch. Nadia Barbary lined out to short but a throw behind Stiles skipped away, allowing Schaeffer to take third. Kiarra Sells homered to right field, driving in three. With one out, Anna Carder drew a walk. Ally Supan pinch ran for Carder, and Abby Grace Richardson also drew a walk before Kinley Keller reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. An error on the play allowed Richardson to reach second safely, loading the bases. Morgan Bernardini hit a one-out grand slam to left field.
Memphis 1, No. 19 Mississippi State 7
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Top 4
Kylie Waldrep led off with a walk. Mya Clark and Kennedy Semien then hit back-to-back home runs.
Memphis 4, No. 19 Mississippi State 7
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Bottom 5
With two outs, Des Rivera reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Gretta Grassel pinch ran for Rivera, and Taylor Troutman pinch hit. Troutman singled through the right side, scoring Grassel.
Memphis 4, No. 19 Mississippi State 8
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Next Up
Mississippi State will host the Bulldog Invitational presented by Mizuno on Feb. 20-22. Belmont, Samford and Delaware State will be in town as the Bulldogs play five games over the weekend.Â
State's action begins at 12:30 p.m. on Friday against Belmont in a matchup of the top two pitching staffs nationally in strikeouts. MSU then hosts Samford at 3 p.m. All MSU games in the tournament will air on SEC Network+.
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For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ammon, Leila (3-0)
L: Jericho Tate (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Ariel Davis 1
HR: Mya Clark 1 ; Kennedy Semien 1 ; Faith Brown 1
RBI: Mya Clark 2 ; Kennedy Semien 1 ; Faith Brown 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kylie Waldrep 1 ; Mya Clark 1 ; Kennedy Semien 1 ; Faith Brown 1
SB: Paris Brienesse 1
Batting:
HR: Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Bernardini, Morgan 1
RBI: Sells, Kiarra 3 ; Bernardini, Morgan 4 ; Troutman, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stiles, Morgan 1 ; Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Supan, Ally 1 ; Richardson, Abby Grace 1 ; Keller, Kinley 1 ; Bernardini, Morgan 1 ; Grassel, Gretta 1 ; Schaeffer, Gabby 1
SB: Sells, Kiarra 1
HBP: Stiles, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
lf/dp
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
INF
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