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Samantha Ricketts credits Mississippi State’s ‘grit’ for rally vs OU softball in Game 1
OU softball alum and Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts talks about the Bulldogs’ 11-9 comeback win Friday in Game 1 of the NCAA Norman Super Regional.
Mississippi State softball’s NCAA Tournament super regional against Oklahoma was a David vs. Goliath scenario.
The Bulldogs were on the hunt for their first Women’s College World Series appearance. The No. 3 Sooners were looking for their 10th straight.
Few expected Mississippi State (43-19) to even win a game in the best-of-three series, let alone eliminate Oklahoma (52-10) from the tournament on its home field.
But that’s exactly what happened when the Bulldogs beat the Sooners 6-0 in Game 3 at Love’s Field on May 24, advancing to the WCWS for the first time.
They’ll face No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park in Oklahoma City in the first round of the double-elimination tournament.
“An underdog is still a frickin dog,” pitcher Delainey Everett said in a TV interview after pitching a three-hit shutout. “We knew it. We were on the bus. Oh my gosh. Everything that we worked for came through today and we ain’t done yet.”
By encouraging her team to lean into the underdog mentality, coach Samantha Ricketts created an environment in which MSU could play “loose (and) free” in the game that could have been its final one of the season.
“A big message today was just staying present in the moment and understanding that this is a situation that it’s not life or death,” Ricketts said. “At the end of the day, it’s softball, and we’re going to go out there and give it everything we’ve got and have fun.”
This messaging helped to keep the players settled even when the crowd’s cheers grew in volume in support of the Sooners.
After losing 7-1 in Game 2, Mississippi State recorded nine hits, including two home runs, in Game 3 and struck out just once. The Bulldogs scored their first run in the first inning and never let up offensively.
“We definitely embraced it,” said Kinley Keller, who had two hits and three RBIs. “And I think just staying grounded is a big thing for us, and we knew we were going to punch them first and just play what we know we can play.”
For MSU and Ricketts, it didn’t matter that most of the crowd and the fans at home were not expecting them to knock off the eight-time national champions. All they needed was each other.
“Just so proud of this group,” Ricketts said. “When nobody believed in us, they believed in themselves and in each other. It was the 25 in the dugout and the parents over in the stands.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
NORMAN — The schedule for Sunday’s winner-take-all Game 3 in the Norman Super Regional is set.
Oklahoma will battle Mississippi State at 1:30 p.m. at Love’s Field, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Bulldogs roared back in Friday’s series-opener to notch an 11-9 victory over 3-seeded OU to put Patty Gasso’s team on the brink of elimination.
But the Sooners responded emphatically on Saturday.
Oklahoma plated seven runs in the top of the third inning to get a foothold in the series, and Audrey Lowry was excellent in the circle to bring home a 7-1 win.
How to Watch Game 3 of the Norman Super Regional
- When: Sunday, May 24
- Where: Love’s Field
- Time: 1:30 p.m.
- Channel: ESPN
The winner of Sunday’s contest will advance to the 2026 Women’s College World Series, where they will play either 6-seeded Florida or 11-seeded Texas Tech next Thursday, as the Gators and the Red Raiders will also clash in a Game 3 in the Gainesville Super Regional on Sunday.
Friday’s defeat was Oklahoma’s first in a Super Regional since 2015, and it snapped a 31-game NCAA Tournament winning streak at home. It was also the first NCAA Tournament game that the Sooners had lost at Love’s Field.
A victory on Sunday would see OU get back to the WCWS in Oklahoma City for the 10th-straight tournament. The last time the Sooners were not in the WCWS field was 2015.
Friday was Mississippi State’s first Super Regional win in program history. The Bulldogs’ only other trip to a Super Regional came in 2022, where Mississippi State lost both games to Arizona.
Former OU star and current Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts is looking to take the Bulldogs to their first WCWS in program history with a win on Sunday.
Both coaching staffs will have big pitching decisions to make on Sunday.
Lowry only needed 87 pitches to notch the victory on Saturday, but Mississippi State did score five runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings of work by Lowry on Friday.
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The Bulldogs also saw OU right-hander Miali Guachino and senior Sydney Berzon on Friday.
Conversely, Oklahoma’s hitters have gotten good looks at each of Mississippi State’s key pitchers.
Alyssa Faircloth started on Friday for the Bulldogs, and she allowed five runs on five hits and issued three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Peja Goold, the other top starter for Mississippi State, gave up a monster home run to Kendall Wells on Friday and threw just 17 pitches.
Saturday was worse for Mississippi State.
Goold started and lasted 2 2/3 innings. She gave up most of the damage in the third, finishing with five runs and five walks allowed while OU posted three hits. Goold threw 66 pitches on Saturday before Ricketts went to Faircloth.
Faircloth pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and a walk on three hits, but she threw 72 pitches in the loss.
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