The Bulldogs begin their final road trip of the regular season with a midweek clash at Troy on Wednesday night.
No. 25 MSU Opens Final Road Trip with Midweek Battle at Troy
April 24, 2018 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Hitting the road for the final time over the regular season, No. 25 Mississippi State softball (33-15, 6-12 SEC) opens its four-game road tilt with its final midweek contest against Troy (28-20, 12-10 Sun Belt) on Wednesday night.
First pitch from Troy, Ala., is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN3 via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.
Wednesday will mark the ninth meeting in program history between Mississippi State and Troy and will be first time since 1997 that the Bulldogs have traveled to the Trojan Softball Complex. State has won all eight previous meetings.
The Bulldogs are looking to gain some momentum as dropping a conference series to 2017 WCWS runner-up No. 5 Florida as the Gators swept the series. The midweek tune-up comes before MSU's final road conference series at No. 13 South Carolina.
Currently holding the program's lowest earned run average since softball was reinstated in 1997, the Bulldog pitching staff has kept MSU in every game with a 1.75 ERA, which ranks fifth in the conference and 14th nationally. MSU's 16 shutouts this season are the second most in program history.
Senior Holly Ward anchors the pitching staff with a 1.41 ERA over a team-leading 124.1 innings pitched. Ward has notched 12 wins and four saves this season and ranks eighth in the conference with 127 strikeouts.
Freshman Mia Davidson continues to roll through conference opponents to be one of the top sluggers in the league this season. Davidson, the lone Bulldog to record 40 or more hits, runs scored and RBIs this season, currently ranks first in the league in slugging percentage (.847), home runs (16) and total bases (127), third in hits (62), fourth in runs scored (45) and fifth in batting average (.413).
LAST TIME OUT
Mississippi State closed out another Top 25 showdown at Nusz Park after hosting No. 5 Florida over Super Bulldog Weekend. In the series finale, Holly Ward took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but the Gators knocked two crucial hits to take a 3-0 victory and the series sweep.
Friday, April 20
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 3-8 (Box Score, Recap)
Saturday, March 21
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 2-6 (Box Score, Recap)
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 0-3 (Box Score, Recap)
SERIES HISTORY
Against Troy
Overall: Mississippi State leads 8-0
In Troy: Mississippi State leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. Troy, 2-1 (March 7, 2018 in Starkville)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +8
DIRTY THIRTY
For the sixth time under the helm of head coach Vann Stuedeman, the Bulldogs have recorded at least 30 victories in a season as MSU's notched its 30th victory of 2018 with an 11-0 run-rule victory over Alcorn State on April 10. The win also marks the 17th time in program history that the Bulldogs have won at least 30 games in a season.
HURTS SO GOOD
Being struck by a pitch eight times her junior season, Sarai Niu has now recorded 34 career hit by pitches, which moves her into third all-time in program history. Briana Bell (2008-13) holds the program of 55.
SLUGGING TOWARDS SEASON RECORD
Just 48 games into her freshman season, Mia Davidson has already etched her name into the record books. Davidson slugged her 16th home run of the season during the Bulldogs' series opener versus Florida, which moves her into third all-time in single-season history.
Her 16 home runs are just one shy of tying Kellie Wilkerson (2005) for the MSU freshman record.
MISSISSIPPI QUEEN
In her seventh season at the helm of Mississippi State softball, Vann Stuedeman has notched 236 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
Wednesday, April 24 – 76 Degrees; Partly Cloudy (10%)
LIVE STATS
Troy will provide live stats for Wednesday's contest, which may be accessed through the link below:
Mississippi State at Troy Live Stats
WATCH LIVE
Wednesday's contest will be streamed on ESPN3 via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN.com.
Mississippi State at Troy
ADMISSION
Admission for Wednesday's contest at the Trojan Softball Complex is free.
ON DECK
Mississippi State will continue its road swing with its final road series in conference play, heading to Columbia, S.C., to take on the No. 5 Gamecocks. The series opener is set for Friday, April 27 at 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network +.
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".
First pitch from Troy, Ala., is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN3 via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.
Wednesday will mark the ninth meeting in program history between Mississippi State and Troy and will be first time since 1997 that the Bulldogs have traveled to the Trojan Softball Complex. State has won all eight previous meetings.
The Bulldogs are looking to gain some momentum as dropping a conference series to 2017 WCWS runner-up No. 5 Florida as the Gators swept the series. The midweek tune-up comes before MSU's final road conference series at No. 13 South Carolina.
Currently holding the program's lowest earned run average since softball was reinstated in 1997, the Bulldog pitching staff has kept MSU in every game with a 1.75 ERA, which ranks fifth in the conference and 14th nationally. MSU's 16 shutouts this season are the second most in program history.
Senior Holly Ward anchors the pitching staff with a 1.41 ERA over a team-leading 124.1 innings pitched. Ward has notched 12 wins and four saves this season and ranks eighth in the conference with 127 strikeouts.
Freshman Mia Davidson continues to roll through conference opponents to be one of the top sluggers in the league this season. Davidson, the lone Bulldog to record 40 or more hits, runs scored and RBIs this season, currently ranks first in the league in slugging percentage (.847), home runs (16) and total bases (127), third in hits (62), fourth in runs scored (45) and fifth in batting average (.413).
LAST TIME OUT
Mississippi State closed out another Top 25 showdown at Nusz Park after hosting No. 5 Florida over Super Bulldog Weekend. In the series finale, Holly Ward took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but the Gators knocked two crucial hits to take a 3-0 victory and the series sweep.
Friday, April 20
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 3-8 (Box Score, Recap)
Saturday, March 21
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 2-6 (Box Score, Recap)
No. 5 Florida def. No. 22 Mississippi State, 0-3 (Box Score, Recap)
SERIES HISTORY
Against Troy
Overall: Mississippi State leads 8-0
In Troy: Mississippi State leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. Troy, 2-1 (March 7, 2018 in Starkville)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +8
DIRTY THIRTY
For the sixth time under the helm of head coach Vann Stuedeman, the Bulldogs have recorded at least 30 victories in a season as MSU's notched its 30th victory of 2018 with an 11-0 run-rule victory over Alcorn State on April 10. The win also marks the 17th time in program history that the Bulldogs have won at least 30 games in a season.
HURTS SO GOOD
Being struck by a pitch eight times her junior season, Sarai Niu has now recorded 34 career hit by pitches, which moves her into third all-time in program history. Briana Bell (2008-13) holds the program of 55.
SLUGGING TOWARDS SEASON RECORD
Just 48 games into her freshman season, Mia Davidson has already etched her name into the record books. Davidson slugged her 16th home run of the season during the Bulldogs' series opener versus Florida, which moves her into third all-time in single-season history.
Her 16 home runs are just one shy of tying Kellie Wilkerson (2005) for the MSU freshman record.
MISSISSIPPI QUEEN
In her seventh season at the helm of Mississippi State softball, Vann Stuedeman has notched 236 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
Wednesday, April 24 – 76 Degrees; Partly Cloudy (10%)
LIVE STATS
Troy will provide live stats for Wednesday's contest, which may be accessed through the link below:
Mississippi State at Troy Live Stats
WATCH LIVE
Wednesday's contest will be streamed on ESPN3 via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN.com.
Mississippi State at Troy
ADMISSION
Admission for Wednesday's contest at the Trojan Softball Complex is free.
ON DECK
Mississippi State will continue its road swing with its final road series in conference play, heading to Columbia, S.C., to take on the No. 5 Gamecocks. The series opener is set for Friday, April 27 at 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network +.
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".
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