On Wednesday, the Texas State softball team gave No. 7 Texas all it could handle in a 1-0, extra-inning Longhorns win in Austin.
The game served as a solid preview of what Mississippi State can expect to face this weekend at the Lone Star State Invitational.
The Bulldogs (6-1) play the first three of their five games from Friday to Sunday in the home ballparks of both the Bobcats and Longhorns. Mississippi State opens play with a doubleheader at Texas State on Friday in San Marcos before games at Texas and against Houston on Saturday in Austin. A Sunday contest at No. 23 Baylor rounds out the weekend.
Here’s a look at what the Bulldogs can expect from all four of their opponents.
Texas State (2-1) — 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Friday
2020 record: 15-9
Texas State went 1-3 against ranked teams in 2020, losing to Kentucky and Auburn and splitting a pair of games with Minnesota.
So far in 2021, the Bobcats swept a home doubleheader with Abilene Christian — including a no-hitter in the first game — before their loss Wednesday to Texas.
Freshman pitcher Jessica Mullins, who stymied the Wildcats on Monday, has yet to allow a run in 14.2 innings in the circle this year.
Senior outfielder ArieAnn Bell, who posted a team-high 1.281 on-base plus slugging percentage last season, is back for the Bobcats. So is senior infielder Tara Oltmann, who hit .377 in 2020.
Sophomore infielder Tara Vanderford already has two home runs for Texas State in three games.
No. 7 Texas (3-0) — 10 a.m. Saturday
2020 record: 24-3
Mississippi State was originally scheduled to play a doubleheader with No. 7 Texas before the schedule for the Lone Star Invite was rearranged in early February.
For the Bulldogs, the change is likely for the best.
Sure, MSU will miss out on a chance to play two marquee nonconference games, but the way the Longhorns have been playing, Texas is as dangerous as any team in the country.
The Horns went 4-1 in 2020 against teams that ended up in the final NFCA/USA TODAY coaches poll, posting a 24-3 record that came up just one win short of MSU’s own mark. After a split with No. 9 Louisiana, Texas won at No. 1 UCLA two days later and beat No. 2 Washington and No. 18 Michigan at a Southern California tournament over the two days following that. The Horns ended up with the No. 3 ranking.
In 2021, though its first two tournaments were canceled, Texas has picked up where it left off. The Horns beat Wichita State and North Texas at a tournament in Conroe, Texas, before edging the Bobcats 1-0 in eight innings Wednesday.
Houston (4-4) — 12:30 p.m. Saturday
2020 record: 16-7
The Cougars went 1-2 against top-25 teams in 2020, losing twice to Oregon but upsetting Texas Tech in Houston.
Already in 2021, they’ve gotten in eight games — doubleheader splits with Lamar and Sam Houston State, a twin-bill sweep by No. 2 Oklahoma and run-rule wins over Texas Southern and Tarleton State.
Outfielder Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn, who hit .404 last season, returns for the Cougars. So does Houston’s leading hitter by OPS, catcher Kati Ray Brown (1.271).
Pitchers Logan Hulon, Rachel Hertenberger, Megan Lee and McKenna Fryar are all back for Houston. The four combined to pitch every inning for the Cougars last season.
No. 23 Baylor (2-1) — 11 a.m. Sunday
2020 record: 19-5
The Bears beat four ranked teams — Auburn, Minnesota, Arkansas and Florida State — with just one ranked loss (FSU) in their abbreviated 2020 campaign.
In 2021, Baylor opened with a loss to No. 21 Arkansas before beating McNeese State at a tournament hosted by the Cowboys. The Bears beat UT Arlington 6-1 on Wednesday in Waco.
No. 1 starter Gia Rodoni, who pitched to a 1.15 ERA and struck out 97 hitters in 73.1 innings last season, is back for Baylor.
Hitters Maddison Kettler (.429 average in 2020) and Lou Gilbert (.391) also return.
The Bears beat Texas State and swept a doubleheader with Houston last season.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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