OKLAHOMA CITY – Mississippi State Softball is in the midst of a program-changing run.
The Bulldogs ran the table in the Eugene Regional, including a 4-0 victory against No. 12 Oregon. MSU followed it up with a shocking upset of Oklahoma in three games to advance to its first ever Women’s College World Series.
State’s prize?
A date with the reigning national runner-up Texas Tech, who boasts two of the country’s top pitchers and the third-best scoring offense in the NCAA.
MSU hasn’t folded against top competition this postseason, but what does it have to do to take down yet another powerhouse? Here are three keys to victory in the Bulldogs’ first-ever WCWS game.
Keep offense rolling against Canady, Terry
There wasn’t a bigger story in college softball last season than Texas Tech pitcher Nijaree Canady. The now-senior, right-handed hurler transferred to Texas Tech from Stanford and led the Red Raiders to its first WCWS appearance and a national runner-up finish with her 319 strikeouts and 1.11 ERA.
This season, Canady was joined by junior Kailtyn Terry and the duo helped Tech to the nation’s sixth-best ERA (2.12).
This is MSU’s third straight season facing Canady in the postseason. In 2024, Canady went all seven for Stanford and allowed only one earned run and three hits with 13 strikeouts. The Bulldogs faced her twice with Texas Tech in the 2025 regional. She went five innings allowing one earned in the first game. MSU broke through in the second matchup of the regional, tallying eight hits and six runs, three earned, in a season ending 9-6 loss.
“I think seeing Nija last year, its helpful, but she’s also seen us so it works both ways,” Ricketts said.
State may be catching the two at the right time, however. Canady hasn’t pitched to her full potential in Tech’s first rounds of the tournament. She’s allowed five runs twice in the tournament, a tie for her season high in earned runs and both in games Tech lost.
Terry is coming off one of her worst statistical starts of the season in Tech’s 16-7 WCWS win against Florida on Sunday. She was pulled after two innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Faircloth, Goold must get back to form
Junior pitcher Alyssa Faircloth has been elite this season, but wasn’t pitching at an elite level in the Norman Super Regional.
Faircloth allowed five runs in just 2.1 innings in the 11-9 Game 1 win against the Sooners. She cleaned it up in the Game 2 loss, but entered the game with a five-run deficit. That deficit was created by Goold, who sports a 2.36 ERA but allowed five runs in 2.2 innings pitched.
Inflated numbers from the circle are to be expected against an offense like Oklahoma’s, but today is set to be just as much of a challenge. Texas Tech has the third-best scoring offense in the nation, averaging 9.55 runs per game.
State’s 11- and six-run outbursts against Oklahoma were uncharacteristic for a squad that ranks 171st in DI in scoring. The Bulldogs will need their top starters to perform like they have all season.
Keep it clean on defense
This Texas Tech team is going to put balls in play.
The Red Raiders have combined to strike out only 156 times this season. UCLA, the nation’s top offense in scoring, has struck out 217 times.
It’ll be hard for the Bulldogs to get outs that aren’t on balls in play. The good news is that MSU ranks third in the country in fielding percentage (.983). The Bulldogs have been great when the ball is hit, and it’s a trend that will need to continue if State wants to pull off another upset.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
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