Friday, March 13
Starkville
6 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
#1 Tennessee
No. 12 Bulldogs Host No. 1 Tennessee To Open SEC Play
March 12, 2026 | Softball
STARKVILLE – An absolutely packed weekend is on tap at Nusz Park as No. 12/14 Mississippi State hosts No. 1/1 Tennessee for its SEC opener beginning March 13.
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Friday night's first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT. Saturday is State's Salute to Service game, honoring members of the armed forces, which will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday's series finale at noon is MSU's First Responder Day with the fifth annual First Responder Home Run Derby following the game.
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This weekend marks the second year in a row that the nation's top-ranked team will play in Starkville. Last year, State took down then-No. 1 Texas in the first game of the series for its third win over the No. 1-ranked team in program history. Head coach Samantha Ricketts is no stranger to tough competition, having led State to more ranked wins than any other coach in program history (46), including five of the program's 17 top-five victories.
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Tennessee brings in one of the nation's top pitching staffs to go head-to-head against the Bulldog arms. Both teams are among the top five nationally in ERA, hits per seven innings, shutouts, strikeouts per seven innings, fielding independent pitching and WHIP while ranking inside the top three in many of those. Five of the six most-used pitchers combined between the teams are among the nation's top 10 in ERA, and all six are top-10 in hits per seven innings.
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The Bulldogs are 11-17 all-time in SEC openers but have won three straight. State's last series victory over the Lady Vols came in 2021 when the Bulldogs swept a doubleheader.
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Commanding Non-Conference: State has posted its best record entering conference play in program history this season. The Bulldogs are currently 26-2 (.929). The previous record was posted in 2014 when MSU was 19-2 (.905). MSU has just two non-conference games remaining.
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Ammon Allows None: Leila Ammon threw the 27th no-hitter in school history and the first of her career on Tuesday against Southeast Missouri. She struck out seven over 5.0 innings, and the only batter to reach base did so on a throwing error in the infield. Ammon is among the top five nationally in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per seven innings and walks per seven innings.
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Strikeouts And Saves: Alyssa Faircloth ranks second nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (12.85) and saves (4), fourth in total strikeouts (112), and leads the nation in whiff rate (45.1 percent) and called strike plus whiff rate with a strike on 43.4 percent of her pitches.
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Barbary Back In The Swing Of Things: Nadia Barbary has hit five homers and driven in 12 RBIs over the last 10 games. She leads the team in that span in hits, homers, RBIs and total bases.
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Ki Is Key: Kiarra Sells has already hit double-digit home runs for the second year in a row. She leads the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, walks and stolen bases.
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Offensive Pace: This year's current batting average (.332), slugging percentage (.576) and on-base percentage (.417) would all be school records. State is on pace for a school-record 95 doubles and 75 home runs in the regular season alone.
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Sacrificial Swings: The Bulldogs have 18 sacrifice flies this year, which is already third in program history. MSU hit a school-record 21 in each of the past two seasons. Des Rivera leads the way with four individually.
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How You Respond: MSU has returned both of its losses with wins against the same squad the following day. The Bulldogs' largest deficit so far this season was just three runs in the 3-0 loss at then-No. 25 Clemson.
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Head Coach: Karen Weekly | Record at TENN: 1157-357-2 (25th Year) | Career Record: 1380-454-2 (30th Year)
Batting Average: .340 | Runs Per Game: 7.56 | Hits Per Game: 8.32 | Slugging Pct: .585
ERA: 0.89 | K/7: 8.95 | K/BB Ratio: 3.88 | Opp. Batting Avg: .117
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Current Streak: Lost 1 | Last Series: April 4-5, 2025, TENN won in Knoxville, Tenn. (G1: TENN, 8-0 [5] | G2: MSU, 12-4 [6] | G3: TENN, 8-0 [5])
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Friday night's first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT. Saturday is State's Salute to Service game, honoring members of the armed forces, which will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday's series finale at noon is MSU's First Responder Day with the fifth annual First Responder Home Run Derby following the game.
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This weekend marks the second year in a row that the nation's top-ranked team will play in Starkville. Last year, State took down then-No. 1 Texas in the first game of the series for its third win over the No. 1-ranked team in program history. Head coach Samantha Ricketts is no stranger to tough competition, having led State to more ranked wins than any other coach in program history (46), including five of the program's 17 top-five victories.
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Tennessee brings in one of the nation's top pitching staffs to go head-to-head against the Bulldog arms. Both teams are among the top five nationally in ERA, hits per seven innings, shutouts, strikeouts per seven innings, fielding independent pitching and WHIP while ranking inside the top three in many of those. Five of the six most-used pitchers combined between the teams are among the nation's top 10 in ERA, and all six are top-10 in hits per seven innings.
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The Bulldogs are 11-17 all-time in SEC openers but have won three straight. State's last series victory over the Lady Vols came in 2021 when the Bulldogs swept a doubleheader.
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Game Coverage
Friday, March 13
6 p.m. – Tennessee | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats | Buy TicketsÂ
Saturday, March 14
2 p.m. – Tennessee | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats | Buy TicketsÂ
Sunday, March 15
12 p.m. – Tennessee | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats | Buy TicketsÂ
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Leading Off
Record Rankings: The Bulldogs are No. 9 in the first NCAA RPI release of the season. That is MSU's highest mark in the RPI in program history. Previously, State had climbed as high as No. 19 in the final selection rankings of 2008. State is No. 10 in the first KPI release of the year.Â
Commanding Non-Conference: State has posted its best record entering conference play in program history this season. The Bulldogs are currently 26-2 (.929). The previous record was posted in 2014 when MSU was 19-2 (.905). MSU has just two non-conference games remaining.
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Ammon Allows None: Leila Ammon threw the 27th no-hitter in school history and the first of her career on Tuesday against Southeast Missouri. She struck out seven over 5.0 innings, and the only batter to reach base did so on a throwing error in the infield. Ammon is among the top five nationally in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per seven innings and walks per seven innings.
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Strikeouts And Saves: Alyssa Faircloth ranks second nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (12.85) and saves (4), fourth in total strikeouts (112), and leads the nation in whiff rate (45.1 percent) and called strike plus whiff rate with a strike on 43.4 percent of her pitches.
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Barbary Back In The Swing Of Things: Nadia Barbary has hit five homers and driven in 12 RBIs over the last 10 games. She leads the team in that span in hits, homers, RBIs and total bases.
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Ki Is Key: Kiarra Sells has already hit double-digit home runs for the second year in a row. She leads the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, walks and stolen bases.
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Offensive Pace: This year's current batting average (.332), slugging percentage (.576) and on-base percentage (.417) would all be school records. State is on pace for a school-record 95 doubles and 75 home runs in the regular season alone.
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Sacrificial Swings: The Bulldogs have 18 sacrifice flies this year, which is already third in program history. MSU hit a school-record 21 in each of the past two seasons. Des Rivera leads the way with four individually.
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How You Respond: MSU has returned both of its losses with wins against the same squad the following day. The Bulldogs' largest deficit so far this season was just three runs in the 3-0 loss at then-No. 25 Clemson.
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About Tennessee (25-0, 3-0 SEC)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – 1 | USA Softball – 1 | D1Softball – 1 | Softball America – 1Head Coach: Karen Weekly | Record at TENN: 1157-357-2 (25th Year) | Career Record: 1380-454-2 (30th Year)
Batting Average: .340 | Runs Per Game: 7.56 | Hits Per Game: 8.32 | Slugging Pct: .585
ERA: 0.89 | K/7: 8.95 | K/BB Ratio: 3.88 | Opp. Batting Avg: .117
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Series History
Overall: 23-49 | Home: 10-21 | Away: 12-25 | Neutral: 1-3Current Streak: Lost 1 | Last Series: April 4-5, 2025, TENN won in Knoxville, Tenn. (G1: TENN, 8-0 [5] | G2: MSU, 12-4 [6] | G3: TENN, 8-0 [5])
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Notables
Tennessee brings in one of the nation's top pitching staffs to go head-to-head against the Bulldog arms. Both teams are top five nationally in ERA, hits per seven innings, shutouts, strikeouts per seven innings, shutouts, fielding independent pitching and WHIP while ranking inside the top three in many of those. Five of the six most-used pitchers combined between the two teams are among the nation's top 10 in ERA. Defensively, both teams are top five in fielding percentage. The Lady Vols offense is among the top 30 teams nationally in scoring, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.Â
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On Deck
The Bulldogs remain at home for a Wednesday night midweek matchup against UAB. The game will be televised nationally on SEC Network beginning at 7 p.m.Â
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Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."Â
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Players Mentioned
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OF
/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Rounding Third: Leila Ammon
Wednesday, March 11
SOFTBALL | Highlights vs. SE Missouri (Game 2)
Tuesday, March 10
SOFTBALL | Highlights vs. SE Missouri (Game 1)
Tuesday, March 10
SOFTBALL | Rounding Third: Kiarra Sells
Tuesday, March 03