No. 21 State Secures Series Against No. 18 Auburn On Sunday Night

Sunday, March 9

Starkville

5:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

21-3, 2-0

#18 Auburn

20-3, 0-2

Auburn

Mississippi State

No. 21 State Secures Series Against No. 18 Auburn On Sunday Night

March 09, 2025 | Softball

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By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 21 Mississippi State never trailed on Sunday night as the Bulldogs clinched the series against No. 18 Auburn with a 9-4 victory.

Three different Bulldogs hit a two-run homer, and all but one starter had a hit in the ballgame. Six of State's (21-3, 2-0 SEC) nine hits went for extra bases.

"I thought our offense did a really good job of adjusting," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "Being able to see two of their pitchers yesterday and prepare a little bit today for it, I loved the adjustments we made off of the one they started. I thought we had really mature at-bats up and down the lineup, and it's good to see coming from different people. That's what it takes in the conference, contributions up and down the lineup and not just relying on one batter."

Morgan Stiles led the way offensively, with a career-high three RBIs while collecting a double and a homer. Lexi Sosa and Sierra Sacco also homered in the game. Jessie Blaine has yet to be retired by her former team, collecting a double and two walks to make her 4-for-4 in the series.

In the circle, it was a full-staff effort. Delainey Everett got the start and went 3.0 innings while allowing just one earned run. She struck out four without allowing a walk. Josey Marron got the win in relief, and Raelin Chaffin picked up her first save after entering the ballgame with the bases loaded.

The win gives MSU its first series victory over Auburn (20-3, 0-2 SEC) since 2010, when MSU swept a doubleheader, and its first win in a three-game series since 2007.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on Raelin pitching and pitching management…
"That was the plan pregame. The goal was the get two, three innings from both of them [Delainey Everett and Josey Marron], and that's exactly what we were able to do. Delainey settled in and left a couple runners on base and really just locked in. We might've left her in there one inning too long, but she did a great job at just attacking all game long and keeping them off balance. Josey showed some really good signs, and we are going to keep going back to her because we are going to need her. When she's throwing strikes, she's a tough matchup for them. Just another great appearance from Raelin [Chaffin]. Tough conditions again in the rain and just coming in and being gritty and a dawg mentality. I thought she did a great job closing that game out."

Lexi Sosa on seeing the ball well…
"Honestly, I just made some big adjustments yesterday. We worked a lot today in the hitting before the game. So honestly, it was just sticking to the plan, having fun and going after pitches that I knew I could."

Morgan Stiles on the full lineup hitting for power…
"It feels really good, I think the whole team had great at bats the whole game and we were communicating really well in the dugout with what the pitcher was doing and what she was trying to attack us with. So, just up and down the lineup, we were all crushing the ball and that's what you want to see."

Quick Hitters

The Magic Number – Mississippi State has scored five or more runs in 67 of its 83 wins (80.7 percent) over the past three years … the Bulldogs are 137-15 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five.

Call The Bomb Squad – The Bulldogs have scored 74 runs off homers this season, which accounts for 42.3 percent of their scoring this year … State has hit multiple homers in the same game 11 times this year … the Bulldogs have at least three homers in six of their last nine games.

Nadia Barbary – Hit her fifth double of the season and walked.

Jessie Blaine – Hit her sixth double of the season … now 4-for-4 this weekend against her former team with a pair of doubles and walks.

Kylee Edwards – Turned her fifth double play of the year … now fourth in school history with 15 career double plays at shortstop.

Delainey Everett – Made her third start of the season in the circle … set a new season high in strikeouts with four … did not allow a walk.

Sierra Sacco – Hit her sixth home run this season … extended her hitting streak to nine games and her reached-base streak to 22 games … leads the team with eight multi-RBI games … stole her 10th base of the year and 93rd of her career.

Kiarra Sells – Drove in the game's first run … now third on the team with 22 RBIs.

Lexi Sosa – Hit her eighth home run this season … now boasts seven multi-RBI games this year.

Morgan Stiles – Drove an RBI double and hit her second career home run … doubled her season extra-base total tonight … matched her career high with three RBIs.

Scoring Recap

Bottom 1
With one out, Nadia Barbary doubled to deep left-center. She advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Kiarra Sells single down the left field line.
No. 18 Auburn 0, No. 21 Mississippi State 1

Bottom 2
With one out, Morgan Bernardini hit a single up the middle. She advanced to third on a Jessie Blaine double to the right field corner. Bernardini scored and Blaine advanced to third on a failed squeeze play when the catcher made a throwing error. Blaine then scored on a Morgan Stiles double to deep left-center.
No. 18 Auburn 0, No. 21 Mississippi State 3

Bottom 3
With one out, Sells was hit by a pitch. Lexi Sosa then hit a two-run home run.
No. 18 Auburn 0, No. 21 Mississippi State 5

Top 4
Anna Wohlers reached first on a fielding error by the second baseman to open the inning. KK McCrary then hit a two-run home run to center.
No. 18 Auburn 2, No. 21 Mississippi State 5

Bottom 4
With two outs, Riley Hull hit a single to shallow right-center. Sierra Sacco then hit a two-run homer to right-center field.
No. 18 Auburn 2, No. 21 Mississippi State 7

Top 6
AnnaLea Adams drew a leadoff walk. Amelia Lech was hit by a pitch, advancing Adams to second. Georgia Lessmann came in to pinch run for Lech. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Skylar Elkins pinch hit and walked, loading the bases. Kyla Stroud pinch-hit and hit a two-run single to shallow left-center.
No. 18 Auburn 4, No. 21 Mississippi State 7

Bottom 6
With one out, Blaine walked before Stiles hit a two-run homer to left.
No. 18 Auburn 4, No. 21 Mississippi State 9

Next Up

The series finale is set for 7 p.m. CT on Monday night. The game is SEC Network's first showcase game of the season, and Samantha Ricketts will be mic'd up throughout the contest.

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

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Next Event

#18 Auburn

W, 7-4

Mar 10 (Mon)

7 p.m.

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Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Marron, Josey (2-2)

L: SJ Geurin (13-2)

S: Chaffin, Raelin (1)

Auburn

Batting:

HR: KK McCrary 1

RBI: KK McCrary 2 ; Kyla Stroud 2

Base Running:

RUNS: Anna Wohlers 1 ; KK McCrary 1 ; AnnaLea Adams 1 ; Georgia Lessmann 1

HBP: Amelia Lech 2

Mississippi State

Batting:

2B: Barbary, Nadia 1 ; Blaine, Jessie 1 ; Stiles, Morgan 1

HR: Sacco, Sierra 1 ; Sosa, Lexi 1 ; Stiles, Morgan 1

RBI: Sacco, Sierra 2 ; Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Sosa, Lexi 2 ; Stiles, Morgan 3

Base Running:

RUNS: Sacco, Sierra 1 ; Barbary, Nadia 1 ; Sells, Kiarra 1 ; Sosa, Lexi 1 ; Bernardini, Morgan 1 ; Blaine, Jessie 2 ; Stiles, Morgan 1 ; Hull, Riley 1