STARKVILLE – Mississippi State softball took the field at Nusz Park for the first time in the 2026 campaign on Tuesday. The Bulldogs (5-0) beat Southern Miss 5-0 to stay perfect on the season.
Southern Miss nearly broke the game open in the third inning, but MSU center fielder Abby Grace Richardson ran down a shot deep into center left, making a closedown out and keeping the bases clear on a play that could have easily led to extra bases with the game still in the balance.
In the bottom of the third, the Bulldogs got a runner on through freshman Gabby Schaefer’s stand-up double for her first career hit. An infield single from Morgan Stiles put runners at the corners for Nadia Barbary. She hit one deep to center field, too short for a home run but far enough for a sacrifice fly to open the scoring.
At the top of the fifth, Southern Miss had its best chance to pull level, starting with a two-out stand-up double, had a chance to close the inning on a grounder to second, but Paige Ernstes’ throw to first was just late. She made up for it on the next play, fielding a grounder and getting the tag for out three to put another zero on the board.
Des Rivera led off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot to double the lead for MSU. It was her first hit as a Bulldog, and came at a great time for the team with the Golden Eagles getting close to scoring in their previous at-bat.
MSU loaded up the bases with no outs in the sixth inning for pinch-hitting freshman Kinley Keller. She hit an infield RBI single, forcing the Golden Eagles into a business decision to get the easy out at third base rather than risk it throwing to home. It stopped the bleeding for USM, but added another run to the board.
There were still two runners for the Golden Eagles to deal with, whom Rivera sent home with her second hit of the day, a two RBI double off the outfield wall for 5-0 going into the final inning.
Alyssa Faircloth came into the circle for the final two innings and finished the job for the Bulldogs. Their next game will take place at home on Friday against Murray State at 12:30 p.m.
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