STARKVILLE – The transfers are already feeling at home at Nusz Park.
Mississippi State softball made its home debut for the new season on Tuesday with a 5-0 win over in-state foe Southern Miss.
Senior Nadia Barbary broke the deadlock for MSU with a sacrifice fly to get freshman Gabby Schaeffer home, and classmate Des Rivera made her first contribution with a solo home run.
It was the first of three RBI for the Iowa transfer on the day, giving starting pitcher Leila Ammon some breathing room in the circle on the way to a shutout win.
“I really liked seeing Leila out there, and the way she started off. I thought she gave us a quality start and did a great job,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said after the game. “Anytime they got a runner on, she immediately responded.”
Ricketts said before the season that she wanted a more dependable pitching rotation this season, and she has found that so far in her new arrivals. Ammon tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts before fellow transfer Alyssa Faircloth came in to close the game, securing a first win for the sophomore starter.
“I really liked her presence and her poise,” Ricketts said. “For kind of being the youngest out of the staff that we’re probably going to see quite a bit, it was good to see her get some experience. We’re going to continue to use her. I think she provides a different look, and she’s able to mix speeds, going up and down, and really have them off balance there. I thought she got more comfortable later as the game went on, too.”
The Bulldogs, now 5-0 to start the campaign, kept up their run of hitting at least one home run in every game so far this season. Rivera’s solo shot in the fifth inning was her first as a Bulldog, and the first homer for MSU at Nusz Park this season. More importantly, in the context of the game, it gave the team an insurance run when Southern Miss still had a chance to flip the script.
MSU had a 3-0 lead by the time Rivera stepped up to bat again in the sixth inning, but she drove in two more runs for good measure to cap a strong home debut.
“I was just trying to make an adjustment and learn from the hitters in front of me early on in the count,” Rivera said. “We did a good job of scouting the pitchers this week. The coaches prepared us really well, so going in with a plan and making sure I stuck to it. It felt good.”
“I think she’s someone that’s a lot of experience and is just looking to settle in the maroon and white for us,” Ricketts said of Rivera. “Over the weekend, we’ll be mixing quite a bit behind the plate, so I know it’s tough for them to be comfortable, but she’s been a great teammate and just works really hard. We know that we feel comfortable with her or Anna behind the plate and what they’re able to provide.”
Barbary and Kinley Keller recorded an RBI each to compliment Rivera’s three, with Morgan Stiles, Kiarra Sells, Taylor Troutman and Schaeffer adding the other hits on the day.
History in the making
The return to Nusz Park was also the first home game since Ricketts passed the 200-win mark as head coach. Now at 203 wins, the head coach took some time to reflect on the journey after the home win.
“It was special. It’s hard in the moment to embrace or understand what that moment means, but for me it’s more about the people who have been part of that along the way,” she said. “All the players, coaches and staff, a lot of people who have been here a long time with me through my tenure, and I’m just appreciative of them and what they provide.”
Ricketts is in her seventh season in charge of the program, and 10th year total at MSU after serving as an assistant coach under Vann Stuedeman. She is currently 16 wins away from becoming the third-winningest MSU coach, and has the best overall winning percentage in program history.
“With us in our program, our goal is for everyone to leave here better than they found it,” she said. “And also to leave here having a great experience, for it to be the best time of their life. Not just as a softball player, as a person. That’s something we value as a culture, and to see how that’s grown on and off the field, with the team and environment, the culture we have, and the wins it leads to on the field, it’s been special for us.”
Up next
The Bulldogs will be back at Nusz Park this weekend for the Snowman Alex Wilcox Memorial weekend.
MSU will begin its weekend slate with a Friday doubleheader against Murray State and Rutgers starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader with the Scarlet Knights and North Texas, and finally a Sunday wrap-up against the Mean Green.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
