Saturday, May 23
Norman, Okla.
12 p.m.
Mississippi State
42-19
1
at
7
#2 Oklahoma
52-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| Mississippi State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
State Drops Second Game Of Super Regional, Decisive Game Set For Sunday
May 23, 2026 | Softball
NORMAN, Okla. – It will take three games. No. 20 Mississippi State dropped the second game of the Norman Super Regional at No. 2 Oklahoma, 7-1, on Saturday afternoon.
The Sooners (52-9) scored all seven runs in the third inning, doing so on just three hits. They got help from an error, a passed ball and four walks in the frame.
"Credit to OU, they came out ready to play like we expected them to," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think for us the message is just to come back tomorrow and treat it like we have all year. It's toughness Sunday in the SEC. We knew it was going to be a dogfight, coming into Love's Field and taking on a program like this. We have to get back to playing Mississippi State softball. There are some things that we expect ourselves to clean up, and right now the focus has to be on what's in front of us, what we can control, and that's how we come out ready to play tomorrow."
State (42-19) got one run back in the sixth and threatened to add more. Kinley Keller drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to drive in a run. Abby Grace Richardson then lifted a deep fly ball to center that was caught on the warning track to end the frame.
Along the way, Morgan Stiles made more MSU postseason history, breaking the school's career NCAA Tournament hits record with her 14th in just two seasons. She has a hit in every NCAA Tournament game she's played.
State was outhit, 6-5. Nadia Barbary, Morgan Bernardini and Xiane Romero all extended their hitting streaks, and Paige Ernstes picked up a double. Ernstes was especially strong defensively, making four unassisted plays at first base and throwing a runner out at home.
"There is no pressure on us. Nobody expects us to do that. I think all the pressure is in their dugout, and that was really the approach and the mindset yesterday, that maybe we got a little bit away from today. We know that. Nobody's going to pick us. We don't want them to pick us. That's good. That's kind of been our message all year long. It's very much a chip-on-your-shoulder, blue-collar-type of program. We know that we've got the people and the belief that we need in our dugout, and we just can relax and play Mississippi State softball, because there's no pressure for us, especially tomorrow."
Morgan Stiles on who has the advantage when a pitcher and a hitter meet multiple times…
"Coming from a hitter's perspective, it could go in favor of us as hitters, just because the more at-bats that you see, the more comfortable you get with them. But also, it goes a pitcher's way too, because they also know you, and like Coach Ricketts said, they have a great pitching coach. [Audry Lowry] did a great job today. It's going to be a battle, but I think that we proved yesterday to everyone, but also to ourselves that we can hang with them. I have full confidence in our team coming home with a win tomorrow."
Paige Ernstes – Doubled … recorded four unassisted putouts at first base and threw a runner out at the plate for the second game in a row.
Kinley Keller – Has reached base in every game of the 2026 postseason … drew a bases-loaded walk to extend her career-long reached-base streak to eight games.
Morgan Stiles – Broke the MSU NCAA Tournament record with 14 career hits … boasts a career .452 (14-for-31) average in the NCAA Tournament … has a hit in all nine NCAA Tournament games she's played in her career.
With one out, Kai Minor doubled down the left field line and took third when the ball was bobbled in the corner. Ella Parker walked. Kendall Wells singled to left center, scoring Minor, and took second on the throw to third as Parker advanced safely. Kassidy Pickering walked to load the bases. Gabbie Garcia drew a walk to score Parker. Isabela Emerling grounded out to third, driving in Wells. All runners advanced on a passed ball, which allowed Pickering to score. Abby Dayton walked and stole second before Lexi McDaniel hit a pinch-hit three-run homer.
No. 2 Oklahoma 7, No. 20 Mississippi State 0
Bottom 6
With one out, Morgan Stiles singled up the middle. She was retired on a fielder's choice that allowed Tatum Silva to reach safely. Nadia Barbary singled up the middle, and Xiane Romero picked up a base hit through the right side to load the bases. Kinley Keller drew a bases-loaded walk to score Silva.
No. 2 Oklahoma 7, No. 20 Mississippi State 1
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
The Sooners (52-9) scored all seven runs in the third inning, doing so on just three hits. They got help from an error, a passed ball and four walks in the frame.
"Credit to OU, they came out ready to play like we expected them to," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think for us the message is just to come back tomorrow and treat it like we have all year. It's toughness Sunday in the SEC. We knew it was going to be a dogfight, coming into Love's Field and taking on a program like this. We have to get back to playing Mississippi State softball. There are some things that we expect ourselves to clean up, and right now the focus has to be on what's in front of us, what we can control, and that's how we come out ready to play tomorrow."
State (42-19) got one run back in the sixth and threatened to add more. Kinley Keller drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to drive in a run. Abby Grace Richardson then lifted a deep fly ball to center that was caught on the warning track to end the frame.
Along the way, Morgan Stiles made more MSU postseason history, breaking the school's career NCAA Tournament hits record with her 14th in just two seasons. She has a hit in every NCAA Tournament game she's played.
State was outhit, 6-5. Nadia Barbary, Morgan Bernardini and Xiane Romero all extended their hitting streaks, and Paige Ernstes picked up a double. Ernstes was especially strong defensively, making four unassisted plays at first base and throwing a runner out at home.
Quotables
Coach Ricketts on the pressure of a winner-take-all game…"There is no pressure on us. Nobody expects us to do that. I think all the pressure is in their dugout, and that was really the approach and the mindset yesterday, that maybe we got a little bit away from today. We know that. Nobody's going to pick us. We don't want them to pick us. That's good. That's kind of been our message all year long. It's very much a chip-on-your-shoulder, blue-collar-type of program. We know that we've got the people and the belief that we need in our dugout, and we just can relax and play Mississippi State softball, because there's no pressure for us, especially tomorrow."
Morgan Stiles on who has the advantage when a pitcher and a hitter meet multiple times…
"Coming from a hitter's perspective, it could go in favor of us as hitters, just because the more at-bats that you see, the more comfortable you get with them. But also, it goes a pitcher's way too, because they also know you, and like Coach Ricketts said, they have a great pitching coach. [Audry Lowry] did a great job today. It's going to be a battle, but I think that we proved yesterday to everyone, but also to ourselves that we can hang with them. I have full confidence in our team coming home with a win tomorrow."
Quick Hitters
Morgan Bernardini – Collected her fifth NCAA Tournament hit of 2026 and leads MSU with a .455 (5-for-11) average in the tournament this year … 3-for-4 in the Super Regional.Paige Ernstes – Doubled … recorded four unassisted putouts at first base and threw a runner out at the plate for the second game in a row.
Kinley Keller – Has reached base in every game of the 2026 postseason … drew a bases-loaded walk to extend her career-long reached-base streak to eight games.
Morgan Stiles – Broke the MSU NCAA Tournament record with 14 career hits … boasts a career .452 (14-for-31) average in the NCAA Tournament … has a hit in all nine NCAA Tournament games she's played in her career.
Scoring Recap
Top 3With one out, Kai Minor doubled down the left field line and took third when the ball was bobbled in the corner. Ella Parker walked. Kendall Wells singled to left center, scoring Minor, and took second on the throw to third as Parker advanced safely. Kassidy Pickering walked to load the bases. Gabbie Garcia drew a walk to score Parker. Isabela Emerling grounded out to third, driving in Wells. All runners advanced on a passed ball, which allowed Pickering to score. Abby Dayton walked and stole second before Lexi McDaniel hit a pinch-hit three-run homer.
No. 2 Oklahoma 7, No. 20 Mississippi State 0
Bottom 6
With one out, Morgan Stiles singled up the middle. She was retired on a fielder's choice that allowed Tatum Silva to reach safely. Nadia Barbary singled up the middle, and Xiane Romero picked up a base hit through the right side to load the bases. Kinley Keller drew a bases-loaded walk to score Silva.
No. 2 Oklahoma 7, No. 20 Mississippi State 1
Next Up
A decisive Game 3 is on tap on Sunday. Mississippi State will look to clinch its first trip to the Women's College World Series in program history. First pitch time and broadcast designations will be determined later tonight.For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lowry, Audrey (23-4)
L: Goold, Peja (15-11)
Batting:
2B: Minor, Kai 1 ; Garcia, Gabbie 1
3B: Minor, Kai 1
HR: McDaniel, Lexi 1
RBI: Wells, Kendall 1 ; Garcia, Gabbie 1 ; Emerling, Isabela 1 ; McDaniel, Lexi 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Minor, Kai 1 ; Parker, Ella 1 ; Wells, Kendall 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 1 ; Garcia, Gabbie 1 ; Dayton, Abby 1 ; McDaniel, Lexi 1
SB: Dayton, Abby 1
HBP: Agbayani, Ailana 1
Batting:
2B: Ernstes, Paige 1
RBI: Keller, Kinley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Silva, Tatum 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
dp/lf
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
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