OKLAHOMA CITY – Mississippi State Softball’s offense was rarely the story of this team headed into the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs were shut out seven times during the season. In regular season SEC play, MSU scored more than five runs just twice. MSU was the 181st ranked scoring offense in Division I, sandwiched in between the likes of mid-majors Texas State and UT Martin.
MSU’s inability to score was a hole all year, covered up by a picture-perfect pitching staff led by junior Alyssa Faircloth and senior Peja Goold.
But against Oklahoma at the Norman Super Regional, something clicked. The Bulldogs scored 18 runs in three games, securing the program’s first-ever appearance in the Women’s College World Series.
Whatever spell that enchanted the Bulldog bats into clutch, power hitting weapons of giant-killing destruction less than a week ago wore off in Oklahoma City. As it did for much of the year, MSU’s offense failed to produce on softball’s biggest stage.
Senior Nijaree Canady’s sorcery in the circle on Thursday stifled MSU in its 8-0 run-rule loss against Texas Tech in Game 1. Texas junior Teagan Kavan was untouchable in Game 2, tossing a complete game shutout and holding MSU to four hits.
MSU head coach Samantha Ricketts said she felt her hitters struggled “adjusting to the stage,” especially during Thursday’s loss to Texas Tech.
State’s offense, particularly Wednesday, struggled in making pitchers work for their outs. MSU forced 163 pitches in its 11-9 win against Oklahoma in Game 1 of the Norman Super Regional. Sooner pitchers had to toss 122 in State’s 6-0 win in Game 3.
Through MSU’s two games at the WCWS, it saw just 132 pitches. Kavan only threw 78 in seven innings on Friday.
Maybe the most important missing factor for MSU’s offense at the world series was luck.
The offense finally found life in the fourth inning of State’s game against Texas Tech. The Bulldogs put two runners on and were finally making consistent solid contact. Those hard-hit balls, however, found nothing but the mitts of Texas Tech outfielders.
It was the same scenario on Friday. MSU put hard-hit balls in play, but couldn’t find the gap in a solid Texas defense. Kavan gave props to MSU’s offense in the post game presser, saying her defense “stole a lot of what could have been hits.”
The pitching staff is in flux for next season. The Bulldogs will lose star Peja Goold, and junior Delainey Everett is in the transfer portal. But junior Alyssa Faircloth and sophomore Leila Ammon, whom Ricketts spoke highly of after Friday’s game, will be back. The question Ricketts will need to answer for next season is how to improve this offense.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
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