Mississippi
Which MHSAA girls basketball teams have surged in their new classifications?
The MHSAA released its new reclassifications during the fall of 2024, which saw teams move classes based on student population for the 2025-27 school years.
With the 2025-26 Mississippi high school girls’ basketball season entering its first year with the new classes, teams have adapted well to the change.
The Clarion Ledger looked at six teams that have not been rattled due to a change in scenery.
Canton
Record: 19-3, Old Class: MHSAA 5A, New Class: 6A
Canton will seek to rebound this season after losing in the MHSAA 5A championship game. The Tigers are not showing any signs of trouble while hoping for a return trip to the Mississippi Coliseum after moving up to 6A. Seton Hall signee and reigning Miss Basketball Shamira Morton leads the team, averaging 22 points.
Ingomar
Record: 22-2, Old Class: 2A, New Class: 1A
The defending 1A champions have a good shot at repeating while in a higher class in 2A. Ingomar eclipsed 20 wins or more for a sixth straight season and aims for a 15th overall title in five of the last six years. Freshman Peyton Wray and senior Daylen Grisham lead the Falcons.
Kemper County
Record: 16-2, Old Class: 3A, New Class: 2A
Kemper County had a 14-game win streak last season and followed up with an 11-game streak this year, thanks to a monstrous defense that’s only allowed 717 points through 18 games. Shariah Wooten and Jakayla Chamberlin lead a Wildcats team that averages 50 points a game and 12.2 steals.
Pisgah
Record: 14-4, Old Class: 2A, New Class: 3A
A shift up in classes has not affected Pisgah in the slightest. The Dragons are rolling through 3A with their only losses coming from 7A Brandon and 5A Florence. Senior Laylah Johnson and freshman Desiree Morris have paved the way for Pisgah to make a deep playoff run and a possible appearnce at the Coliseum.
Quitman
Record: 14-8, Old Class: 4A, New Class: 3A
The Panthers are fitting in well after a move to 3A. Quitman has relied on its younger core and a strong defense this season, averaging 14 steals and allowing only three teams to score 60 or more points in 22 games. Freshmen Ka’ley Moody and Sariah Bingham lead Quitman.
West Harrison
Record: 19-1, Old Class: 6A, New Class: 7A
West Harrison has been the only team to move up to 7A, and the Hurricanes have become one of the strongest teams in the class. Senior guard Sydnei Barber has helped command a West Harrison team that has outscored its opponents 950-551 this season, including strong wins over Harrison Central and St. Martin.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
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.
Check out how to watch the Gulf Breeze alum, who is part of a history making Mississippi State squad.
Blue Angels Super Hornet simulator unveiled at Naval Aviation Museum
Climb inside a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet with us and take off in the new Fly with the Blues simulator at the National Naval Aviation Museum.
The Women’s College World Series begins May 28, and the Pensacola area will be represented on the biggest stage.
Gulf Breeze alumna Leila Ammon is part of a Mississippi State squad making its first WCWS appearance in school history and has played a role in getting the Bulldogs there.
Below is how to watch Ammon play if you aren’t in Oklahoma City, as well as how Ammon is part of history at Mississippi State.
How to watch Mississippi State in the WCWS
When: May 28-June 4/5
Where: OG & E Energy Field at Devon Park, Oklahoma City
Broadcast: ABC and ESPN
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, Fubo
Mississippi State will open up against Texas Tech on May 28 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. With a win, the Bulldogs will play the winner of Tennessee/Texas on May 30 at 2 p.m. CT on ABC. With a loss, they’ll play the loser of Tennessee/Texas in an elimination game on May 29 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The last two teams standing will advance to a best 2-out-of-3 championship series scheduled for June 3-5 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Check this page for more information on the WCWS bracket and schedule.
Mississippi State lost to Texas Tech twice in the Lubbock regional a year ago.
How did Mississippi State make history?
The Bulldogs are the only unseeded team out of eight in the WCWS field, which means they’re the only team in the field to have to win on the road in a regional and super regional to advance to Oklahoma City.
Mississippi State was ranked No. 13 in the NFCA poll on March 29, putting them in good position to host a regional with a strong finish to the season. The Bulldogs did the exact opposite, losing four of their last five regular season series.
But they flipped a switch in the NCAA Tournament. First, Mississippi State rolled through the Eugene regional, winning all three games by a score of 12-2, to advance to just their second super regional in program history.
Up next was a trip to perennial powerhouse Oklahoma in the super regional. However. the Bulldogs weren’t fazed, winning Game 1 of the best two-out-of-three series 11-9. After the Sooners won Game 2 7-1, Mississippi State won Game 3 6-0 to clinch their first ever WCWS appearance.
What role did Leila Ammon play?
While Ammon didn’t pitch in the regional, she helped stop the bleeding in Game 1 of the Super Regional.
She entered in the bottom of the third after Oklahoma had scored five runs in the inning to take a 5-1 lead. Ammon got the final two outs in the inning, then allowed a run in the fourth and pitched a scoreless fifth before being relieved with runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the sixth.
Both runners scored later in the inning, meaning Ammon allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out three in three innings pitched.
Ammon’s gone 8-0 this spring with a 1.85 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings pitched. She spent her freshman season at Middle Tennessee State, where she was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
Before her college career, Ammon was the 2023 PNJ Pitcher of the Year and a 2024 First Team All-Area selection.
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