Mississippi
What ‘unthinkable’ season, first WCWS trip meant to Mississippi State softball
OKLAHOMA CITY — Taryne Mowatt-McKinney called Mississippi State softball’s first Women’s College World Series appearance back in the fall.
Coach Samantha Ricketts said the Bulldogs’ pitching coach walked into her office in October to deliver her bold prediction.
“She said, ‘If our pitching continues to progress the way it is, we’re going to the World Series,’” Ricketts said. “We may have looked at her like she may have been a little crazy.”
But Mowatt-McKinney wasn’t crazy, and the Bulldogs delivered, making it to the WCWS for the first time in program history.
That experience was short-lived as the Bulldogs (43-21) lost 4-0 to No. 2 seed Texas (48-12) in an elimination game at Devon Park on May 29, ending their season.
The Bulldogs went 0-2 in the WCWS and did not score a run.
“Could not be more proud of this group for what they’ve done for Mississippi State softball and for each other, the way they’ve represented this team, this program, our community,” Ricketts said. “… They believed that Mississippi State could be here on this stage when nobody else did.”
Ricketts noted the team never wavered in its belief even when things got difficult. Mississippi State went 9-15 in SEC play, finishing 10th in the conference. The Bulldogs only won two of their SEC series and fell out of hosting contention for regionals in late April.
As a road team, MSU made it out of the Eugene Regional to super regionals. The Bulldogs upset No. 3 seed Oklahoma on its home field to be the only unseeded team at this year’s WCWS.
“Really we talked all year long that our roster was built for May,” Ricketts said. “With how difficult our SEC schedule was, the lessons we learned along the way, we knew that postseason it’s 0-0 for anyone. If we could continue to trust in the work that we had done, we could really do something special here.”
The trip to the WCWS was especially meaningful for seniors Nadia Barbary, Morgan Bernardini and Kiarra Sells. All three began their careers in Starkville. They took the program from not even making the NCAA Tournament their freshman year to the WCWS in their final season.
“It meant the world to us,” Sells said. “Even getting here was such a big deal to all of us. Honestly, we’re grateful to have been on this stage, to have worked our butts off to be here, to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. It was such a blessing.”
The team’s accomplishments also resonated with players who started their careers at other schools. Pitcher Peja Goold, a transfer from Chattanooga, reflected positively on what she’d gained from this final year.
Goold finished with a 2.50 ERA, 182 strikeouts and eight shutouts. She was picked in the second round of the AUSL draft by the Oklahoma Sparks.
“I’m just so grateful that Mississippi State gave me the chance to be here and the opportunity to play on this stage,” she said. “… I chose Mississippi State, look where it brought me. That’s such a blessing and I’m so thankful that God placed me here and led me to them.”
During the team’s two WCWS games, not much went in the Bulldogs favor. They were shut out both times and run-ruled by Texas Tech in their first game. Still, the Bulldogs are walking out of Oklahoma City full of gratitude and pride for what they achieved in 2026.
“We did the unthinkable, making history throughout our whole season,” Bernardini said. “Yes, this sucks right now, but it’s like what a better way to end it at the end?”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
High school choir sings gospel medley during graduation in Jackson MS
See video from Murrah Singers, Landon Price performance during Murrah High School graduation in Jackson, Mississippi.
High school graduation season has come to a close in Jackson, with Jackson Public Schools having finished their graduation ceremonies on May 27.
Madison County Schools held ceremonies May 15 and 16. Hinds County School District held its on May 19, and the Rankin County School District held ceremonies May 8 through May 18.
Following up on prom season, The Clarion Ledger photographed more than 25 ceremonies across the greater Jackson area, capturing both smiles and tears of joy, struts and dances across the stage, two new cars and many, many caps thrown in the air. Pyrotechnics, sunsets and excited family members brightened ceremonies and high school chorales lifted spirits.
Take a look at our gallery of highlights from every commencement, or peruse each ceremony, gathered below.
Hinds County
Callaway
Callaway High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 27.
Forest Hill High School
Forest Hill High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 27.
Jim Hill High School
Jim HIll High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 26.
Lanier High School
Lanier High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 27.
Murrah High School
Murrah High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 26.
Provine High School
Provine High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 26.
Raymond High School
Raymond High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 19.
Terry High School
Terry High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 19.
Madison County
Canton High School
Canton High School held graduation on its campus in Canton on May 23.
Germantown High School
Germantown High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 16.
Madison Central High School
Madison Central High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 16.
Ridgeland High School
Ridgeland High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 16.
Velma Jackson High School
Velma Jackson High School held graduation on its campus in Camden on May 15.
Rankin County
Brandon High School
Brandon High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 11.
Florence High School
Florence High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 8.
Northwest Rankin High School
Northwest Rankin High School held graduation at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on May 12.
Pelahatchie High School
Pelahatchie High School held graduation at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl on May 15.
Pisgah High School
Pisgah High School held graduation at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl on May 12.
Puckett High School
Puckett High School held graduation at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl on May 11.
Richland High School
Richland High School held graduation at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl on May 18.
Private Schools
Central Hinds Academy
Central Hinds Academy held graduation at Cain-Cochran Hall in Raymond on May 4.
Hartfield Academy
Hartfield Academy held graduation at Pinelake Church Reservoir Campus in Brandon on May 8.
Hillcrest Christian School
Hillcrest Christian School held graduation on its campus in Jackson on May 8.
Jackson Academy
Jackson Academy held graduation on its campus in Jackson on May 14.
Jackson Prep
Jackson Prep held graduation at First Baptist Jackson in Jackson on May 19.
Madison-Ridgeland Academy
Madison-Ridgeland Academy held graduation at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison on May 15.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School held graduation on its campus in Ridgeland on May 22.
Saint Joseph Catholic School
Saint Joseph Catholic School held graduation at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson on May 20.
Mississippi State baseball is facing Lipscomb in the first game of the Starkville Regional in the NCAA Tournament on May 29 (1 p.m., ESPN+).
The Bulldogs (40-17) are the host and No. 14 national seed, and Lipscomb (29-24) is the No. 4 seed in the regional. It is the fourth time they’ve played each other this season, with MSU sweeping a March series at Dudy Noble Field.
Here is what to know about Lipscomb University.
Where is Lipscomb University?
Lipscomb is a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. It is about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Starkville.
Lipscomb University mascot
Lipscomb’s mascot is the Bisons.
What conference is Lipscomb in?
Lipscomb is in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Lipscomb University enrollment
According to US News, Lipscomb has an undergraduate enrollment of 3,006 students and a 68% acceptance rate.
Lipscomb baseball coach
Jeff Forehand is Lipscomb’s baseball coach. He’s in his 20th season and has led Lipscomb to all four of its NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.
Starkville Regional schedule in 2026 NCAA baseball tournament
All games at Dudy Noble Field; double elimination format; game times in Central
Friday, May 29
- Game 1: Mississippi State vs. Lipscomb, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Game 2: Cincinnati vs. Louisiana, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
Saturday, May 30
- Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m., TBA
- Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m., TBA
Sunday, May 31
- Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m., TBA
- Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., TBA
Monday, June 1
- Game 7 (if necessary): TBA
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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.
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