Mississippi

12-run first inning leads Mississippi State past Memphis

Published

2 years ago

April 18, 2024

12-run first inning leads Mississippi State past Memphis

After Mississippi State scored a total of four runs in losses to No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday and Sunday, the Bulldogs exploded for 12 in the first inning alone Tuesday evening, cruising to a 16-1, five-inning victory over Memphis.

No. 17 MSU (30-12) banged out nine hits in the frame, opening the scoring on a two-run double by Jessie Blaine. Ella Wesolowski’s single brought Blaine home, and then Paige Cook went deep for the second consecutive game, launching a two-run home run just over the wall in left. Following a walk to Aquana Brownlee, Kylee Edwards connected on her fifth home run of the season well over the left-center field fence to chase Tigers starter Rylee Dugar from the game.

“It felt really nice,” Edwards said. “It was a good swing on a good ball. I’m finally getting back into the groove of hitting the ball (well).”

The Bulldogs were not done scoring in the inning as Nadia Barbary and Madisyn Kennedy each delivered RBI hits after the lineup turned over, and Cook’s two-run single gave her four RBI in the inning.

The outburst allowed MSU to empty the bench and bring in little-used players Saleyna Daniel, Megan Davidson, Gabby Coffey and Kat Wallace. Daniel and Davidson each singled in the fourth and came around to score.

“I’m just proud of the way we came out and attacked,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “Just trying to get back in line after Sunday’s loss. We talked before the game, knowing that especially at this point of the season, every game is a big game. It doesn’t matter if we’re in conference or out of conference. When we’re playing for postseason seeding, every game matters.”

Matalasi Faapito made her fourth start of the season and held Memphis (4-34) scoreless over three innings, striking out three without issuing a walk. Freshman Hosanna Lindblade pitched the fourth for just her second appearance as a Bulldog, giving up one unearned run but limiting the damage. UCLA transfer Lexi Sosa worked the fifth in her first appearance in the circle since Mar. 29, recording a pair of strikeouts.

MSU is back at Nusz Park on Wednesday evening against a talented South Alabama team that would likely be in the NCAA Tournament if the season ended today. The Jaguars (23-15-1) are led by veteran pitcher Olivia Lackie, who has a 1.28 ERA and earned complete-game wins over Alabama and Arkansas earlier this year.

“Every game, every practice set up in the preseason in the fall, is all about postseason standings and not being in a position like we were last season,” Ricketts said. “We’re still really controlling our own destiny down the stretch with what we have left in front of us. I’m just proud of their maturity, the way they’ve competed and just really gotten after their goals this season. I still don’t know if we’ve really played our best yet, which is exciting.”

MSU

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Mississippi

Why Mississippi State baseball pitching is struggling heading into SEC Tournament

Published

2 hours ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Why Mississippi State baseball pitching is struggling heading into SEC Tournament

Despite scoring 33 runs in its final three-game series, Mississippi State baseball didn’t leave College Station, Texas, with a series victory.

No. 10 Texas A&M beat the visiting No. 12 Bulldogs 7-6 on May 16. It was the rubber match of the three-game series. MSU (39-16, 16-14 SEC) won the first game 18-11 and Texas A&M (39-13, 18-11) took the second game 11-9.

The Bulldogs are still entering the postseason in good position. MSU will be anywhere between the No. 8 and No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament and has a case to be awarded a top-16 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

MSU can hit and does it well. The Bulldogs entered May 16 with the No. 2 batting average in the SEC (.314) and the third-most runs (471). Pitching was more hit-or-miss.

Here’s what stood out regarding MSU’s pitching in the regular season finale as the Bulldogs head into the postseason.

Ryan McPherson is back, but can he find peak form?

Getting star sophomore Ryan McPherson back in any capacity is big for MSU, but the Bulldogs need him to look like his old self to have their best chance at a deep postseason run.

McPherson started Game 3 against Alabama. He pitched 2⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on 44 pitches. He got into some trouble in the third inning and was pulled.

McPherson has only pitched one other time since March 20, when he suffered a forearm strain against Vanderbilt. That was on May 9 vs Auburn, but he only threw 1⅓ innings before he injured his ankle after tripping behind home plate while backing up a potential throw in the second inning.

At his best, McPherson has lights-out stuff that can win a postseason game. He was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA before getting injured.

Ben Davis quietly shined in bullpen

The MSU bullpen got plenty of action against Texas A&M. Senior reliever Ben Davis pitched all three days.

Davis threw one inning in the first game, 2⅓ in the second game and 1⅓ in the finale. Across the 4⅔-inning span, Davis allowed four hits and no earned runs. He struck out three.

It’s the first time this season Davis pitched three consecutive days.

Walks, not hits, cost Mississippi State the series

The Bulldogs outhit the Aggies 11-7 in Game 3, but the discrepancy in walks was too much to overcome.

MSU walked 13 batters and drew just one.

Four of the walks went on McPherson’s ledger, but the bullpen struggled with control as well. Five of the six relievers who pitched after McPherson walked at least one batter. Only 96 of the 176 pitches MSU threw were in the strike zone.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

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Mississippi

Is it legal to kill a snake in Mississippi? What to know

Published

14 hours ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Is it legal to kill a snake in Mississippi? What to know

Can you kill a snake in your yard in Mississippi? As the weather heats up and people spend time outdoors, run-ins with snakes are increasingly likely.

It is legal to kill most snakes found in Mississippi. But there are rules about when you need a license. Some species have federal protection.

Mississippi is home to more than 50 types of snakes. A small number are venomous.

Most snake-related interactions can be avoided by just walking away or letting them slither to safety. Still, there are times when you might need to keep kids and pets safe.

Here’s what we know about the rules protecting wildlife, venomous snakes that live in Mississippi and which species are protected.

Can you kill a snake in your yard in Mississippi?

Yes, Mississippi residents can kill a snake in their yard. Mississippi landowners, or people who live on the property, can kill a snake on their property, whether it’s venomous or not.

It’s one of a few specific exceptions when the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks allows killing a snake without a hunting or fishing license.

Nongame snakes and animals that have come inside a resident’s building, damage plants and yards or hurt pets or livestock can be killed. Nonresidents are allowed to kill wildlife that enters a building they lease or rent.

If a venomous snake poses “a reasonable danger to human life,” MDWFP regulations allow people to kill it.

In any of these cases, the animal’s body has to be disposed of or allowed to decay in nature. You can’t keep it as a trophy or sell it.

Mississippi landowners, or people who live on a property, can kill a snake on their property, whether it’s venomous or not.

When you need a license to kill a snake

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks oversees regulations for hunting and the management of nongame species in the state.

Everyone needs the appropriate hunting/fishing license to harvest snakes for personal use, according to MDWFP information. No more than 20 nongame snakes and lizards can be taken a year. No more than four specimens of a species or subspecies should be taken from the wild in a year.

Venomous snakes found in Mississippi

The Mississippi Poison Control Center via the University of Mississippi Medical Center lists venomous snakes and other animals, like spiders, stingrays and jellyfish.

The list of dangerous snakes includes:

Timber rattlesnakes
Pygmy rattlesnakes
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes
Water moccasins (also called Cottonmouths)
Coral snakes
Copperheads

Snake Snap lists eight snakes with venom. The site includes specific variations of some species: Western Cottonmouth and Northern Cottonmouth, along with the Dusky and Western variations of Pygmy Rattlesnakes.

Snakes you cannot legally kill

The Endangered Species Act helps protect native wildlife and plants from dying off entirely. The MDWFP lists several animals that are protected, including the black bear, Florida Panther and gopher tortoise. All sea turtles, sawback turtles and two kinds of bat are also protected.

These snakes are protected because they’re listed as an endangered species: