Sunday, February 23
Hunstville, Ala.
10 a.m.
Mississippi State
12-2
0
vs
3
Jacksonville State
9-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Jacksonville State
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
2
1
Mississippi State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
Seven-Run Frame Lifts State To Comeback Victory
February 23, 2025 | Softball
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – No. 17 Mississippi State's day started on the wrong foot, but the Bulldogs battled back. After allowing the first five runs in their two games, dropping their opener to Jacksonville State, 3-0, and going down 2-0 to Miami (Ohio), the Bulldogs rallied.
State scratched across its first run of the day in the bottom of the first against the Redhawks (3-10) to make it a 2-1 deficit. Miami plated four in the top of the second, but then the Bulldog bats woke up. State scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning with the biggest swing of the day a three-run homer from Kiarra Sells. MSU (13-2) would never trail again.
Lexi Sosa added to the lead with a two-run homer in the third, and MSU had a 10-7 lead that would hold up over the final four frames. Morgan Stiles pushed one final run across in the sixth to result in an 11-7 final score.
"I think there's still a lot of room to grow and continue to learn and get better. I really liked our bounce back today, though," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "After going down five runs early and we just stayed composed and found a way to bounce back and respond and just chip away. I thought it was a very mature response, especially coming off of that first game loss earlier. I like the response. I like the fight that we showed, and I think it shows something that we can continue we get deeper in the season."
Following her homer, Sosa took over in the circle, tossing the first scoreless inning of the game. She remained dialed in as she finished the ballgame, protecting MSU's lead. Of the 10 runs the Bulldogs allowed in the two games, only five were earned. Raelin Chaffin threw the entire game against Jacksonville State (9-4) without allowing an earned run.
"She's just so clutch for us on both sides of the ball, and we really needed her in the circle to settle us down. I thought she did a great job. She was attacking. She was keeping them off balance and then coming up with a big swing for us on the on the offensive side as well. Just a very mature approach from her and something where she can really do a lot to change a game by herself. I thought, good job picking up the team and making sure we were having each other back from her end."
Lexi Sosa on her approach at the plate...
"Definitely making an adjustment. I kept getting jammed this weekend, so I was getting tired of it. It just clearing my hips and, you know, sticking to my plan was the biggest thing."
Morgan Bernardini – Plated two runs with two singles against Miami … leads the team with five multi-hit games.
Raelin Chaffin – Recorded her 200th career strikeout … struck out a season-high 11 batters in her fifth complete game of the year against Jacksonville State … did not allow an earned run … saw her career-long win streak end at seven appearances, the longest streak to open an MSU career in modern program history (1997).
Kylee Edwards – Extended her reached-base streak to a career-long eight games with a double in both contests.
Sierra Sacco – Hit her team-leading sixth double against Jacksonville State … walked twice and scored twice against Miami … has reached base in 13 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team this year.
Kiarra Sells – Launched a three-run go-ahead homer against Miami resulting in a career-high three RBIs … stands as her second career homer … also walked.
Lexi Sosa – Hit her team-leading fifth home run against Miami … now leads the team with 17 RBIs this season and is tied for the team lead with four multi-RBI games … earned her first MSU save in the circle, throwing 4.0 scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.
Amber Reed was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Kailey Martin advanced Reed to second with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Ashley Philips appeared to ground out to third, but the umpire ruled that the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. With runners on the corners, confusion on a 3-1 pitch led to the batter believing she had walked and Philips stealing second on what was ultimately a called strike two. Abbi Perkins then drove in two runs with a single to center field. Aria Davis reached on a throwing error that allowed Perkins to score.
Jacksonville State 3, No. 17 Mississippi State 0
Shelby Kunkel led off the ballgame with a double to left field before taking third on a wild pitch. Chloe Parks singled off the leaping third baseman's glove, but Kunkel was forced to hold at third. Parks and Kunkel executed a first-and-third double steal for the first run of the contest. Holly Merritt's ground out advanced Park to third base, and she scored on Jenna Golembiewski's sacrifice fly to right-center field.
Miami (Ohio) 2, No. 17 Mississippi State 0
Bottom 1
Sierra Sacco drew a lead-off walk, and Nadia Barbary singled up the middle. Sosa reached first on a fielder's choice to shortstop, but the throw to second sailed and Barbary was safe. As a result of the throwing error, Sacco scored.
Miami (Ohio) 2, No. 17 Mississippi State 1
Top 2
Ella Carter was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Erin Pinter singled to left field. The ball was bobbled by the outfielder the runners moved to second and third. Kari Krueger's single brought home Carter from third, and she advanced to second on the throw home. Kunkel drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Parks singled to left field, scoring Krueger and Pinter. Again, the ball got past the left fielder, and Parks advanced to second on the error. Merritt's sacrifice fly brought home Kunkel from third.
Miami (Ohio) 6, No. 17 Mississippi State 1
Bottom 2
Riley Hull was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. With one out, Sacco drew a walk. Barbary singled into right field to load the bases. Morgan Bernardini drove home Hull and Sacco with a single up the middle. Lexi Sosa walked to reload the bases before Jessie Blaine hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Barbary. Kiarra Sells then blasted a three-run homer to left field. Kylee Edwards kept things going with a double to right field. She scored and Hull reached second on a grounder that kicked off the glove of the second baseman and skipped into center field.
Miami (Ohio) 6, No. 17 Mississippi State 8
Top 3
Campbell dropped a single into center field to lead off the inning. Sydney Gilbert pinch ran before Ella Carter hit a grounder to the pitcher. The throw to second sailed, and Gilbert reached third. With one out, Krueger sent Campbell home with a single over the head of the first baseman.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 8
Bottom 3
Bernardini hit a two-out single into left-center field before scoring on Sosa's two-run homer to left field.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 10
Bottom 6
Edwards knocked a one-out single down the left field line. Hull grounded out, moving Edwards to second base. Morgan Stiles singled to left field to bring home Edwards.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 11
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
State scratched across its first run of the day in the bottom of the first against the Redhawks (3-10) to make it a 2-1 deficit. Miami plated four in the top of the second, but then the Bulldog bats woke up. State scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning with the biggest swing of the day a three-run homer from Kiarra Sells. MSU (13-2) would never trail again.
Lexi Sosa added to the lead with a two-run homer in the third, and MSU had a 10-7 lead that would hold up over the final four frames. Morgan Stiles pushed one final run across in the sixth to result in an 11-7 final score.
"I think there's still a lot of room to grow and continue to learn and get better. I really liked our bounce back today, though," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "After going down five runs early and we just stayed composed and found a way to bounce back and respond and just chip away. I thought it was a very mature response, especially coming off of that first game loss earlier. I like the response. I like the fight that we showed, and I think it shows something that we can continue we get deeper in the season."
Following her homer, Sosa took over in the circle, tossing the first scoreless inning of the game. She remained dialed in as she finished the ballgame, protecting MSU's lead. Of the 10 runs the Bulldogs allowed in the two games, only five were earned. Raelin Chaffin threw the entire game against Jacksonville State (9-4) without allowing an earned run.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on Lexi Sosa playing both ways..."She's just so clutch for us on both sides of the ball, and we really needed her in the circle to settle us down. I thought she did a great job. She was attacking. She was keeping them off balance and then coming up with a big swing for us on the on the offensive side as well. Just a very mature approach from her and something where she can really do a lot to change a game by herself. I thought, good job picking up the team and making sure we were having each other back from her end."
Lexi Sosa on her approach at the plate...
"Definitely making an adjustment. I kept getting jammed this weekend, so I was getting tired of it. It just clearing my hips and, you know, sticking to my plan was the biggest thing."
Quick Hitters
The Big Inning – Mississippi State scored seven runs in the second inning against Miami (Ohio) while sending 11 batters to the plate … every Bulldog batter had a hit or scored a run in the ballgame.Morgan Bernardini – Plated two runs with two singles against Miami … leads the team with five multi-hit games.
Raelin Chaffin – Recorded her 200th career strikeout … struck out a season-high 11 batters in her fifth complete game of the year against Jacksonville State … did not allow an earned run … saw her career-long win streak end at seven appearances, the longest streak to open an MSU career in modern program history (1997).
Kylee Edwards – Extended her reached-base streak to a career-long eight games with a double in both contests.
Sierra Sacco – Hit her team-leading sixth double against Jacksonville State … walked twice and scored twice against Miami … has reached base in 13 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team this year.
Kiarra Sells – Launched a three-run go-ahead homer against Miami resulting in a career-high three RBIs … stands as her second career homer … also walked.
Lexi Sosa – Hit her team-leading fifth home run against Miami … now leads the team with 17 RBIs this season and is tied for the team lead with four multi-RBI games … earned her first MSU save in the circle, throwing 4.0 scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.
Scoring Recap vs. Jacksonville State
Top 4Amber Reed was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Kailey Martin advanced Reed to second with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Ashley Philips appeared to ground out to third, but the umpire ruled that the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. With runners on the corners, confusion on a 3-1 pitch led to the batter believing she had walked and Philips stealing second on what was ultimately a called strike two. Abbi Perkins then drove in two runs with a single to center field. Aria Davis reached on a throwing error that allowed Perkins to score.
Jacksonville State 3, No. 17 Mississippi State 0
Scoring Recap vs. Miami (Ohio)
Top 1Shelby Kunkel led off the ballgame with a double to left field before taking third on a wild pitch. Chloe Parks singled off the leaping third baseman's glove, but Kunkel was forced to hold at third. Parks and Kunkel executed a first-and-third double steal for the first run of the contest. Holly Merritt's ground out advanced Park to third base, and she scored on Jenna Golembiewski's sacrifice fly to right-center field.
Miami (Ohio) 2, No. 17 Mississippi State 0
Bottom 1
Sierra Sacco drew a lead-off walk, and Nadia Barbary singled up the middle. Sosa reached first on a fielder's choice to shortstop, but the throw to second sailed and Barbary was safe. As a result of the throwing error, Sacco scored.
Miami (Ohio) 2, No. 17 Mississippi State 1
Top 2
Ella Carter was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Erin Pinter singled to left field. The ball was bobbled by the outfielder the runners moved to second and third. Kari Krueger's single brought home Carter from third, and she advanced to second on the throw home. Kunkel drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Parks singled to left field, scoring Krueger and Pinter. Again, the ball got past the left fielder, and Parks advanced to second on the error. Merritt's sacrifice fly brought home Kunkel from third.
Miami (Ohio) 6, No. 17 Mississippi State 1
Bottom 2
Riley Hull was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. With one out, Sacco drew a walk. Barbary singled into right field to load the bases. Morgan Bernardini drove home Hull and Sacco with a single up the middle. Lexi Sosa walked to reload the bases before Jessie Blaine hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Barbary. Kiarra Sells then blasted a three-run homer to left field. Kylee Edwards kept things going with a double to right field. She scored and Hull reached second on a grounder that kicked off the glove of the second baseman and skipped into center field.
Miami (Ohio) 6, No. 17 Mississippi State 8
Top 3
Campbell dropped a single into center field to lead off the inning. Sydney Gilbert pinch ran before Ella Carter hit a grounder to the pitcher. The throw to second sailed, and Gilbert reached third. With one out, Krueger sent Campbell home with a single over the head of the first baseman.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 8
Bottom 3
Bernardini hit a two-out single into left-center field before scoring on Sosa's two-run homer to left field.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 10
Bottom 6
Edwards knocked a one-out single down the left field line. Hull grounded out, moving Edwards to second base. Morgan Stiles singled to left field to bring home Edwards.
Miami (Ohio) 7, No. 17 Mississippi State 11
Next Up
The Bulldogs return home on Wednesday, Feb. 26 to host UAB at 4 p.m. before welcoming a trio of teams for their second home tournament of the year, The Bulldog Invitational presented by C Spire, on Feb. 28-March 2.For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kat Carter (5-0)
L: Chaffin, Raelin (7-1)
Batting:
RBI: Abbi Perkins 2
SH: Kailey Martin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Amber Reed 1 ; Ashley Phillips 1 ; Abbi Perkins 1
SB: Ashley Phillips 1
HBP: Amber Reed 1 ; Ashley Phillips 1
Batting:
2B: Sacco, Sierra 1 ; Edwards, Kylee 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
ph/3b
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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