Friday, May 16
Lubbock, Texas
7 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
Washington
Bulldogs Prepare For NCAA Tournament At Lubbock Regional
May 15, 2025 | Softball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 18 Mississippi State softball team will open the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 16 at the Lubbock Regional, facing Washington at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Â
The Bulldogs (37-17, 13-11 SEC) will play the Huskies (34-17, 12-9 Big Ten) for the fifth time in the NCAA Tournament, making Washington State's most-common postseason opponent in program history.
Â
State has already matched its highest win total in a season under Samantha Ricketts. She has set the school record with 45 ranked wins at MSU, including 11 this year. The Bulldogs set another program record on Thursday, as six State players were named to the NFCA All-Region teams, including three players on the First Team.
Â
For the second year in a row, State is staring down the possibility of a regular-season rematch in the Tournament. The Bulldogs defeated host No. 10 Texas Tech, 3-1, in eight innings on Opening Day. Last year, they faced Cal State Fullerton twice in the Stanford Regional after facing them in February.
Â
The Bulldogs finished above .500 in SEC play for the first time since 2001, and their 13 wins in conference play were their highest total since 2008.
Â
Â
Game 1: No. 10 Texas Tech vs. Brown – 4:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 2: No. 18 Mississippi State vs. Washington – 7 p.m. | Watch on ESPN2 | Live Stats
Â
Saturday, May 17
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 1 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 3:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 6 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Â
Sunday, May 18
Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 2 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 7: If Necessary – 4:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Â
Â
Â
Record All-Region Teams: The Bulldogs saw a school-record six players earn NFCA All-Region honors on Thursday, including three First Team selections. It marks the third time that State has had three or more First Team honorees, and the Bulldogs have now had multiple All-Region selections in eight straight seasons.
Â
Historic SEC Seasons: Mississippi State finished above .500 in conference play (13-11) for the first time since 2001 (19-11). The 13 wins are State's highest total since going 13-14 in 2008, and MSU won five series for the first time since 2007. Along with last year (12-12), the Bulldogs have their first back-to-back years with at least a .500 record since 1998-99.
Â
Golden Girls: Sierra Sacco and Raelin Chaffin were both drafted by the Talons in the AUSL College Draft. They are State's 14th and 15th draft picks, and MSU is one of two teams nationally with multiple draftees.
Â
Ricketts' Record Year: MSU has already matched Samantha Ricketts' highest win total in a season with 37 victories, which is tied for the seventh-most in a season in program history.
Â
Taking Down Top Teams: Samantha Ricketts boasts a school-record 45 victories against NFCA-ranked opponents in her coaching career. The Bulldogs had just 101 ranked wins prior to her tenure. State has 25 ranked wins in the past two years alone.
Â
Fifty-Fifty: With one stolen base the Bulldogs will complete their first 50 homer-50 stolen base season since 2018. State has accomplished that feat two other times in 2015 and 2013 as well. MSU also currently has 72 homers, which is one shy of the program's single-season record.
Â
Quick Start: The Bulldogs are 23-5 when they score in the first inning this year. Sierra Sacco has led off the game with a homer four times this year, including three times on the first pitch a Bulldog batter has seen.
Â
Keep It Clean: MSU's .971 team fielding percentage is third in program history and its highest since 2014 (.976). Jessie Blaine has gone 232 consecutive chances without an error, which is the sixth-longest streak in school history, and Sierra Sacco has not made an error since 2023.
Â
Â
In Extra Innings: 1-2 | One-Run Games: 5-9
Tournament Record By Opponent: Texas Tech, 0-0; Washington, 0-4; Brown, 0-0
Tournament Record By Conference: Big 12, 0-9; Big Ten, 1-0; Ivy, 0-0
Â
Â
Head Coach: Gerry Glasco | Record at TTU: 45-12 (1st Year) | Career Record: 345-100 (8th Year)
Batting Average: .321 | Runs Per Game: 6.20 | Hits Per Game: 8.28 | Slugging Pct: .500
ERA: 1.97 | K/7: 7.00 | K/BB Ratio: 4.37 | Opp. Batting Avg: .210
Series History: 3-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 3-1 | Current Streak: Won 3
Last Meeting: Feb. 7, 2025, in Clearwater, Fla. (MSU 3, TTU 1 [8 inn.])
Â
Head Coach: Heather Tarr | Record at UW: 854-330-1 (21st Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .286 | Runs Per Game: 5.80 | Hits Per Game: 7.31 | Slugging Pct: .505
ERA: 2.83 | K/7: 7.66 | K/BB Ratio: 3.77 | Opp. Batting Avg: .228
Series History: 1-7 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-3 | Neutral: 1-4 | Current Streak: Lost 5
Last Meeting: May 19, 2019, in Seattle, Wash. (MSU 0, UW 8)
Â
Head Coach: Mary Holt-Kelsch | Record at BRN: 33-15 (1st Year) | Career Record: 95-60 (4th Year)
Batting Average: .268 | Runs Per Game: 4.96 | Hits Per Game: 7.06 | Slugging Pct: .405
ERA: 2.77 | K/7: 5.33 | K/BB Ratio: 2.09 | Opp. Batting Avg: .239
Series History: 0-0 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0 | Current Streak: None
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
The Bulldogs (37-17, 13-11 SEC) will play the Huskies (34-17, 12-9 Big Ten) for the fifth time in the NCAA Tournament, making Washington State's most-common postseason opponent in program history.
Â
State has already matched its highest win total in a season under Samantha Ricketts. She has set the school record with 45 ranked wins at MSU, including 11 this year. The Bulldogs set another program record on Thursday, as six State players were named to the NFCA All-Region teams, including three players on the First Team.
Â
For the second year in a row, State is staring down the possibility of a regular-season rematch in the Tournament. The Bulldogs defeated host No. 10 Texas Tech, 3-1, in eight innings on Opening Day. Last year, they faced Cal State Fullerton twice in the Stanford Regional after facing them in February.
Â
The Bulldogs finished above .500 in SEC play for the first time since 2001, and their 13 wins in conference play were their highest total since 2008.
Â
Â
Game Coverage
Friday, May 16Game 1: No. 10 Texas Tech vs. Brown – 4:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 2: No. 18 Mississippi State vs. Washington – 7 p.m. | Watch on ESPN2 | Live Stats
Â
Saturday, May 17
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 1 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 3:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 6 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Â
Sunday, May 18
Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 2 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 7: If Necessary – 4:30 p.m. | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Â
Â
Leading Off
Familiar Foes: Mississippi State defeated Texas Tech on Opening Day, 3-1, in eight innings. The Bulldogs also faced Red Raider ace NiJaree Canady in the 2024 NCAA Tournament when she was at Stanford. Meanwhile, Washington is tied for MSU's most-common NCAA Tournament opponent.Â
Record All-Region Teams: The Bulldogs saw a school-record six players earn NFCA All-Region honors on Thursday, including three First Team selections. It marks the third time that State has had three or more First Team honorees, and the Bulldogs have now had multiple All-Region selections in eight straight seasons.
Â
Historic SEC Seasons: Mississippi State finished above .500 in conference play (13-11) for the first time since 2001 (19-11). The 13 wins are State's highest total since going 13-14 in 2008, and MSU won five series for the first time since 2007. Along with last year (12-12), the Bulldogs have their first back-to-back years with at least a .500 record since 1998-99.
Â
Golden Girls: Sierra Sacco and Raelin Chaffin were both drafted by the Talons in the AUSL College Draft. They are State's 14th and 15th draft picks, and MSU is one of two teams nationally with multiple draftees.
Â
Ricketts' Record Year: MSU has already matched Samantha Ricketts' highest win total in a season with 37 victories, which is tied for the seventh-most in a season in program history.
Â
Taking Down Top Teams: Samantha Ricketts boasts a school-record 45 victories against NFCA-ranked opponents in her coaching career. The Bulldogs had just 101 ranked wins prior to her tenure. State has 25 ranked wins in the past two years alone.
Â
Fifty-Fifty: With one stolen base the Bulldogs will complete their first 50 homer-50 stolen base season since 2018. State has accomplished that feat two other times in 2015 and 2013 as well. MSU also currently has 72 homers, which is one shy of the program's single-season record.
Â
Quick Start: The Bulldogs are 23-5 when they score in the first inning this year. Sierra Sacco has led off the game with a homer four times this year, including three times on the first pitch a Bulldog batter has seen.
Â
Keep It Clean: MSU's .971 team fielding percentage is third in program history and its highest since 2014 (.976). Jessie Blaine has gone 232 consecutive chances without an error, which is the sixth-longest streak in school history, and Sierra Sacco has not made an error since 2023.
Â
Â
NCAA Tournament History
Appearances: 19 | Overall: 23-37 | vs. Ranked Teams: 2-24 | In Lubbock: 0-0In Extra Innings: 1-2 | One-Run Games: 5-9
Tournament Record By Opponent: Texas Tech, 0-0; Washington, 0-4; Brown, 0-0
Tournament Record By Conference: Big 12, 0-9; Big Ten, 1-0; Ivy, 0-0
Â
Â
About the Opponents
No. 12-seed Texas Tech (45-12, 20-4 Big 12)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – 10 | USA Softball – 10 | D1Softball – 9 | Softball America – 9Head Coach: Gerry Glasco | Record at TTU: 45-12 (1st Year) | Career Record: 345-100 (8th Year)
Batting Average: .321 | Runs Per Game: 6.20 | Hits Per Game: 8.28 | Slugging Pct: .500
ERA: 1.97 | K/7: 7.00 | K/BB Ratio: 4.37 | Opp. Batting Avg: .210
Series History: 3-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 3-1 | Current Streak: Won 3
Last Meeting: Feb. 7, 2025, in Clearwater, Fla. (MSU 3, TTU 1 [8 inn.])
Â
Washington (34-17, 12-9 Big Ten)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Heather Tarr | Record at UW: 854-330-1 (21st Year) | Career Record: Same
Batting Average: .286 | Runs Per Game: 5.80 | Hits Per Game: 7.31 | Slugging Pct: .505
ERA: 2.83 | K/7: 7.66 | K/BB Ratio: 3.77 | Opp. Batting Avg: .228
Series History: 1-7 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-3 | Neutral: 1-4 | Current Streak: Lost 5
Last Meeting: May 19, 2019, in Seattle, Wash. (MSU 0, UW 8)
Â
Brown (33-15, 13-8 Ivy)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Mary Holt-Kelsch | Record at BRN: 33-15 (1st Year) | Career Record: 95-60 (4th Year)
Batting Average: .268 | Runs Per Game: 4.96 | Hits Per Game: 7.06 | Slugging Pct: .405
ERA: 2.77 | K/7: 5.33 | K/BB Ratio: 2.09 | Opp. Batting Avg: .239
Series History: 0-0 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0 | Current Streak: None
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Â
Â
Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."Â
Â
Players Mentioned
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Texas Tech
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Raelin Chaffin ESPN2 Postgame Interview
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Friday, May 16