Bulldogs Welcome Georgia for Top 25 Showdown in SEC Home Opener

Friday, March 23

Starkville

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

#7 Georgia

The Bulldogs will look to start the conference seasons with its second straight series win as MSU welcomes No. 7 Georgia to Nusz Park.

Bulldogs Welcome Georgia for Top 25 Showdown in SEC Home Opener

March 22, 2018 | Softball

Game Notes Game One (SECN+) Game Two (SECN+) Game Three (SECN+) Live Stats

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Off to the program's best 30-game start in school history, No. 21 Mississippi State softball (26-4, 2-1 SEC) hosts a Top-25 showdown as it welcomes No. 7 Georgia (27-2, 5-1 SEC) to Nusz Park for the first SEC home series of the 2018 season.

The weekend begins on Friday, March 23 with a 6 p.m. CT first pitch. Both Saturday and Sunday's contests are set for a 2 p.m. CT start time. All three contests will be broadcasted on the SEC Network +, which fans may access through WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.

The weekend will mark the fifth time in program history that MSU has welcomed the Bulldogs of Athens to Starkville to open its first conference series at home. UGA holds a 7-5 advantage in those games. Over program history, the two squads have met 56 times with Georgia holding a 30-26 record in the all-time series history. UGA has won seven of the last meeting, but two of MSU's wins over that stretch came last season as State took the series win in Athens.

State is looking to keep momentum rolling after recording its 12^th shutout of the season with a 7-0 victory over Central Arkansas Wednesday night. Senior Cassady Knudsen retired 13 straight with help of eight strikeouts and allowed just one hit in the victory. The offense was anchored by senior Reggie Harrison and junior Sarai Niu. The duo drove in five runs off two home runs.

Through the first six weeks of the season, pitching continues to be a major key in State's success as the Bulldog staff has tossed 12 shutouts to hold a dominating 1.15 earned run average in the circle, which is good for fourth in the SEC and eighth in all of Division I softball.

Picking up two wins against Missouri, including a 4-0 shutout, senior Holly Ward anchors the staff with a 0.71 ERA, ranking fifth in the conference and 10^th among all Division I pitchers. Ward has notched 10 wins and ranks second in the SEC with three saves. The right-hander is eighth in the conference with 88 strikeouts this season.

On the offensive side of the ball, freshman Mia Davidson continues to be the breakout star for the Bulldogs. Davidson is the only Bulldog this season to record 20 or more runs scored, RBIs and hits. With 10 home runs this season, she has slugged the third-most homers by a Bulldog freshman in program history and ranks eighth on the MSU single-season charts. Davidson also ranks in the top 10 in the conference in 10 offensive categories.

Senior Morgan Bell has driven in 18 RBIs over MSU's last 11 games, with help of two grand slams. Bell is tied with Davidson for the team lead with 29 RBIs this season.

GEORGIA SERIES SCHEDULE
Friday, March 23 – No. 21 Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Georgia (6 p.m. CT)
Saturday, March 24 – No. 21 Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Georgia (2 p.m. CT)
Sunday, March 24 – No. 21 Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Georgia (2 p.m. CT)

LAST TIME OUT
The Bulldogs kicked off its four-game home swing with a shutout victory over Central Arkansas, 7-0, Wednesday night at Nusz Park. Reggie Harrison and Sarai Niu each slugged a home run to combine for five RBIs. Cassady Knudsen bounced back from her tough outing at Missouri by retiring 13 straight with help of eight strikeouts, allowing just a bunt-single in the victory.

Wednesday, March 21
Mississippi State def. Central Arkansas, 7-0 (Recap, Box Score)

SERIES HISTORY
Against Georgia
Overall: Georgia leads 30-26
In Starkville: Series tied 12-12
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. No. 19 Georgia, 5-2 (April 16, 2017 in Athens)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +1

#VANNTASTIC START FOR THE BULLDOGS
With 26 wins over its first 30 games, Mississippi State is off to the program's best start in its 26-season history, surpassing the previous best mark of 23-6, which was set over the 2006 and 2000 seasons.

SEC HOME OPENER HISTORY IN STARKVEGAS
Since SEC play began in 1997, Mississippi State is 25-37 overall in its opening home weekend of league play. The Bulldogs have lost the past six SEC home-opening series, but at least taken one game in five of the six series. It's last SEC home-opening series win came in 2011 when the Bulldogs swept Arkansas in Starkville.

HURTS SO GOOD
For the 32nd time in her career, Sarai Niu was hit by a pitch, which moves her into a tie for fourth all-time in program history. Niu has tied Julia Echols who was also hit 32 times over the 2013-15 seasons. Briana Bell (2008-13) holds the program of 55.

BOMB SQUAD
As a team the Bulldogs have hit 27 home runs, which ranks fifth in the Southeastern Conference and have turned in nine multi-home run performances this season. Freshman Mia Davidson leads the team and ranks third in the SEC with a total of 10 home runs through the first 30 games of the season.

Three Bulldogs have also knocked the first home runs of their career this season: Carmen Carter, Macey Petrey and Bevia Robinson.

RING THE BELL
Morgan Bell continues to rack up the RBI opportunities as she slugged her second grand slam of the 2018 season at Memphis (3/14) for her second five-RBI performance of her senior season, tying her career high. The grand slam was the third of Bell's career which ties Jessica Cooley for the program record.

Bell racked up a total of 18 RBIs over MSU's last 11 games. She is the second Bulldog this season to record five or more RBI in the single game, joining Reggie Harrison who drove in five runs against Nebraska on Feb. 22.

WARD UP
Holly Ward's impressive start to her senior season has moved her into the MSU career record book. Just 30 games into her senior season, Ward now ranks in six MSU career pitching categories.

T6th     Shutouts                                  9
T6th     Solo No-Hitters                       1
6th       Opponent Batting Avg.           .233
T7th     Saves                                       6
8th       Strikeouts                                287
9th       Strikeouts per 7 inn.               5.59

MAMA MIA!
To say that Mia Davidson has had hot start to her freshman season would be an understatement. Not only has Davidson proven to be a spark to MSU offense's early success, but she has also ranks as one of the top hitters amongst the conference.

Davidson currently ranks in the top 10 in the Southeastern Conference in 10 offensive categories, including second in total bases (86), third in slugging percentage (.887) and home runs (10), fourth in doubles (10) and hits (42) and ninth in batting average (.433).

MISSISSIPPI QUEEN
In her seventh season at the helm of Mississippi State softball, Vann Stuedeman has notched 229 wins to surpass Kathy Arendsen (1997-2002) for the second-most victories in program history. Jay Miller (2003-211) holds the program record at 295.

WEATHER
Friday, March 23 – 72 Degrees; Partly Cloudy (0%)
Saturday, March 24 – 75 Degrees; Cloudy (20%)
Sunday, March 25 – 68 Degrees; Cloudy (20%)

LIVE STREAM
All three of this weekend's contests will live streamed through the SEC Network +. Fans can access the games through WatchESPN.com, the ESPN app or clicking the links below.

Game One: Mississippi State vs. Georgia (SECN+)
Game Two: Mississippi State vs. Georgia (SECN+)
Game Three: Mississippi State vs. Georgia (SECN+)

LIVE STATS
Mississippi State will provide live stats for all three games this weekend.

Mississippi State vs. Georgia Live Stats

ADMISSION
Admission to all regular-season home games at Nusz Park is free.

PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY, MARCH 23
**FREE POST-GAME "GLOW PUTT PUTT" AT NUSZ PARK**
- SEC Home Opener!
- FREE Admission
- FREE Gift Cards & Prizes Throughout the Games
- FREE T-Shirts for ALL Bulldog Strikeouts!
- Bully's Kids Zone for Kids with Inflatables
- Up to 225 Hail State Rewards Points Per Game
- 150 Bully's Kids Club Points Per Game

SATURDAY, MARCH 24
- FREE Admission
- FREE Gift Cards & Prizes Throughout the Games
- FREE T-Shirts for ALL Bulldog Strikeouts!
- Bully's Kids Zone for Kids with Inflatables
- Up to 225 Hail State Rewards Points Per Game
- 150 Bully's Kids Club Points Per Game

SUNDAY, MARCH 25^TH
- GIVEAWAY: National Waffle Day! Free Chicken & Waffle Cones (While Supplies Last)
- FREE Admission
- FREE Gift Cards & Prizes Throughout the Games
- FREE T-Shirts for ALL Bulldog Strikeouts!
- Bully's Kids Zone for Kids with Inflatables
- Up to 225 Hail State Rewards Points Per Game
- 150 Bully's Kids Club Points Per Game

ON DECK
Mississippi State will hit the road on Tuesday, March 27 for a midweek contest at Alabama State. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT.

FOLLOW THE DAWGS
For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".