Super Preview: Arizona Softball prepares for Mississippi State

Fresh off a regional win in Missouri, Arizona Softball (36-20, 8-16) returns to action against Mississippi State (37-25, 10-14) for what should be a tough challenge. 

Thinks are certainly ramping up for the Arizona Softball team as the stakes grow even larger for the Wildcats at this point!

Coming, Arizona is fresh off a tremendous weekend in which they dominated Illinois and Missouri, en route to their earning their 16th Super Regionals appearance.

However, now the challenge is greater as the Wildcats face a red-hot Mississippi State team. Never mind their record or where they finished within the SEC, the Bulldogs are a talented team and they are playing well.

If Arizona is to win this matchup, it is going to need a good offensive output, as well as a repeat pitching performance from starters Hanah Bowen and Devyn Netz. Should the Wildcats continue their hot streak, look for them to be a tough out this weekend!

With that said, here’s a look at the Wildcats’ upcoming opponent!

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Softball’s opponent, the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Team: Mississippi State Bulldogs

Head Coach: Samantha Ricketts is currently in her 3rd season with the Bulldogs, having compiled a 97–53 (18–29) record with two postseason appearances. This Super Regional appearance is the farthest that Mississippi State has gone under her tutelage.

Overall, Samantha has been around the game of softball for quite some time, having previously been a player at Oklahoma (2006-09) before making several stops as an assistant. However, still relatively new to being a head coach, Ricketts replaced previous head coach Vann Stuedeman in 2020 and has not looked back!

2021-22 Record: Mississippi State is currently 37-25 (10-14) on the year and is much like Arizona in the sense that they are playing well currently, despite finishing their season near the bottom in a loaded conference. Fresh off of an upset of Florida State, the Bulldogs will look to continue their strong play when they take on Arizona.

Head-to-head Series: Arizona leads the overall series against Mississippi State by a 3-1 advantage, with games dating back to 2002.

Last Meeting: The last time these two teams met was in Tucson in 2018 where the Wildcats came away with a narrow, 4-3 win over the Bulldogs.

Game information and details for Arizona Baseball:

Dates: Friday & Saturday, May 27-28, 2022 (*Game 3 will be played following game 2 if needed)

Time: 

• Game 1: Friday at 9:00 A.M. MST
• Game 2: Saturday at 1:00 P.M. MST
• Game 3: TBD

Location: Nusz Park, Starkville, Miss. (1,000)

Television:

• Game 1: Friday on ESPNU
• Game 2: Saturday on ESPNU

Spread: N/A (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Pitching Matchup: TBD