Can Mississippi State softball avoid WCWS elimination vs Texas? Our prediction

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hoping to extend its season, Mississippi State softball will play No. 2 seed Texas in its second game at the Women’s College World Series.

The Bulldogs (43-20) will take on the reigning NCAA champion Longhorns (47-12) on May 29 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park. The loser of the game will be eliminated from the tournament.

Mississippi State made it WCWS debut by falling 8-0 to No. 11 seed Texas Tech in five innings. Texas lost its opener 6-3 to No. 7 seed Tennessee.

Here’s what to know about the matchup.

Texas’ Katie Stewart was SEC’s Player of the Year

Texas’ Katie Stewart was selected as the best player in the SEC during 2026 and helped the Longhorns to a conference title. Stewart, catcher Reese Atwood and pitcher Teagan Kavan were named a second-team NFCA All-American.

Stewart ranks third in the SEC in batting average (.428), fourth in RBIs (72) and second in home runs (27) and on base percentage (.551).

Stewart was ineffective in the Longhorns’ WCWS loss to Tennessee. She went 0-for-3, striking out once and grounding out twice.

Atwood, who’s hitting .337 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs, fared better against the Lady Vols, finishing 1-for-3 and scoring a run.

Texas’ Teagan Kavan has struggled in recent outings

Teagan Kavan (24-6, 2.54 ERA) has been one of the top pitchers in the nation in each of her three seasons at Texas, but she hasn’t quite looked like herself in some recent appearances.

Kavan started Games 1 and 2 of the super regionals against Arizona State and allowed 11 hits and six runs with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. She recovered to shut the Sun Devils out despite allowing five hits in Game 3.

Kavan again started for the Longhorns against Tennessee. Her outing lasted three innings and she gave up three hits and three runs.

Citlaly Gutierrez (9-3, 2.38 ERA) is Texas’ primary reliever and has appeared in four of the Longhorns’ seven NCAA Tournament games. She threw four innings vs. Tennessee, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Does Mississippi State have an ace up its sleeve?

Mississippi State elected to start Alyssa Faircloth (16-8, 2.61 ERA) in its WCWS opener and use Peja Goold (15-11, 2.45) in relief. Faircloth threw just 1⅓ innings, while Goold pitched for three.

Both could be options for the game against Texas, or Mississippi State could turn to breakout star Delainey Everett (3-1, 0.69 ERA).

Everett’s lone start this season was against Oklahoma in Game 3 of the super regionals. She gave the Sooners their first shutout since 2019 and held them to three hits.

Everett pitched four innings in Game 2 of last year’s regular season series against Texas. She gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings as the Bulldogs’ starter in the 7-3 loss.

Mississippi State softball vs Texas WCWS prediction

Texas 3, Mississippi State 2: Even if the Bulldogs’ pitching staff can limit Texas, MSU’s offense seems to have cooled down considerably from its showing against Oklahoma in the super regionals.

2026 Women’s College World Series schedule

All times CT

• May 28
  • Game 1: Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0
  • Game 2: Tennessee 6, Texas 3
  • Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (6 p.m., ESPN2)
  • Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
• May 29
  • Game 5: Mississippi State vs Texas (6 p.m., ESPN2)
  • Game 6: Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
• May 30
  • Game 7: Texas Tech vs Tennessee (2 p.m., ABC)
  • Game 8: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner (6 p.m., ESPN)
• May 31
  • Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 8 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
  • Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 7 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
• June 1
  • Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)
  • Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
  • Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)
  • Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
• June 3
  • Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)
• June 4
  • Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)
• June 5
  • If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.