Why Samantha Ricketts said Mississippi State beat OU for first super regional win

• Mississippi State softball defeated No. 3 seed Oklahoma 11-9 in its first-ever super regional win.
• The Bulldogs scored nine runs in the final two innings to overcome multiple deficits.
• This was Mississippi State’s first victory against Oklahoma in program history.

Considering Mississippi State softball was playing in just its third NCAA Tournament super regional game, few outside of Starkville were optimistic about the Bulldogs’ chances against national power Oklahoma.

However, despite facing the No. 3 seed Sooners (51-9), who have made the Women’s College World Series every time since 2016, the Bulldogs (42-18) managed to pick up their first super regional win. The Bulldogs took down the Sooners 11-9 at Love’s Field in Norman, Oklahoma on May 22.

“Just really love the fight they showed,” said Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts, who was an All-American at Oklahoma. “It was just up and down the lineup. People who started in the lineup, who entered it later in the game, and that’s really been kind of the M.O. for this group all year long. They embrace their roles. They’re ready to come out and attack.”

Mississippi State had to fight back from several multi-run deficits to win. The Bulldogs trailed by four entering the sixth inning and by three entering the seventh. They scored nine runs in the final two innings to earn the win.

“A lot of times this season, our pitchers have had our back, and I thought this time, the offense did a really good job having the pitchers’ backs,” Ricketts said.

It’s the first time Mississippi State has beaten Oklahoma after being 0-11 against the Sooners entering the series. The victory also puts the Bulldogs just one win away from making it to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history.

“Just really proud of this team for the fight, the grit they showed, and just knowing that this is what we’ve really worked hard for, and they really, truly believed that we’d come out here to compete,” Ricketts said.

Unlike the previous three seasons, Mississippi State did not face Oklahoma in the regular season. This was the first time the two teams had met in the postseason.

Still, Ricketts believes that a tough SEC schedule that resulted in a 9-15 conference record and a 10th-place finish helped prepare the Bulldogs for the series.

“We talk all the time that in the SEC, in our conference, every weekend’s like a super regional,” Ricketts said. “So, we felt like our schedule this season had really prepared us for this weekend.”

Game 2 of the series will be played May 23 (noon CT, ESPN).

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