Mississippi State’s softball team found itself at the epicenter of the Super Bulldog Weekend festivities over the weekend and met the record-setting stage with grand performances in the circle and at the plate, dominating LSU for two wins for its first SEC series victory since late March.
The series win for the No. 17 Bulldogs 36-15, 8-13) snapped a four-game losing streak to the No. 20 Tigers that began in 2023 and improved MSU’s standing to the No. 10 spot in the SEC standings.
The Bulldogs got into an early groove in the series on Friday, with pitcher Alyssa Faircloth personally putting the clamps on LSU’s offense from the circle by doling out 11 strikeouts in a 5-3 win in Game 1.
“Alyssa, she was competing. She was doing everything she could to give us a chance,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “I love her fire, the way that she continues to go out there and just, you know, make big pitches in big moments for us.”
Paige Ernstes delivered a three-run homer in the third inning put MSU up 3-1, and Gretta Grassel came in to pinch-hit in the sixth and belted an RBI single to plate a run. Xiane Romero managed to run home while the Tigers made a pair of errors on the play for the team’s last score. LSU responded with two more runs in the seventh by way of a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk.
With the series clincher up for grabs on Saturday in Game 2, the Bulldogs met the moment once again – this time with a single-game record of 2,606 fans excitedly watching inside Nusz Park – in a 5-2 win.
After watching the Tigers go up 1-0 after a solo homer by Sierra Daniel, the Bulldogs delivered back-to-back homers, another three-run shot by Ernestes and a two-run blast by Xiane Romero, to grab a thrilling and early 5-1 grip on the series. LSU responded with an RBI single in the fourth inning, but then pitcher Peja Goold silenced the Tigers with four straight scoreless innings to put the bow on her fourth double-digit strikeout game (11) and her 12th complete game of the year. It was a fitting performance from Goold in a big spot, and after the game the senior was given a Golden Ticket that guarantees her a spot in the next Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft.
“Peja is probably one of the most mature players I’ve had, especially as a pitcher,” Ricketts said. “She’s confident, hardworking and honestly she already has the work ethic of a pro in college. We’re just so thrilled that she gets to continue her career and play at the next level and represent Mississippi State in the AUSL.”
Game 3 went to the Tigers by way of a 5-3 decision. LSU broke through a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning with a game-winning two-run homer by Tori Edwards. MSU failed to get on base in the seventh to try and force extra innings or walk it off and LSU held on to close the game with a ground out, fly out and a foul out. It wasn’t how the squad wanted to end the series, but Ricketts said there were several positives from the weekend.
“I think we saw a lot of good things, a lot that we’d really been intentional about the last few weeks at practice and hasn’t turned out our way in the games,” Ricketts said. “I think if we can continue to commit to staying hungry and attacking the way we do each and every day, we’re going to continue to see a lot of good things happen for this program.
MSU wraps up its SEC slate beginning on Thursday with a series at Ole Miss. Game 1 begins at 6 p.m.
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