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OKLAHOMA CITY — If Mississippi State softball has proven one thing in its NCAA Tournament run, it's that the Bulldogs can't be counted out, no matter how much of an underdog they are.
That's exactly how ESPN broadcasters Alyssa Lang and Amanda Scarborough are thinking of them ahead of the Women's College World Series.
“It really does feel so wide open,” Lang said. “… Being able to walk out of (Oklahoma) tells me that they absolutely can make it to the finals here at the (Women’s) College World Series. They have the horses to do it, or the dogs to do it, I should say.”
Mississippi State (43-19) plays No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) to open its first WCWS at Devon Park on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN).
The main thing the Bulldogs have going for them is their pitching staff, according to Scarborough. MSU’s team ERA of 2.29 ranks No. 8 in the NCAA.
Alyssa Faircloth (16-7. 2.47 ERA) and Peja Goold (15-11. 2.36) have pitched most of the innings. Delainey Everett (3-1, 0.69 ERA) emerged as another option after pitching a shutout in the final game of the super regionals.
But it’s not just how well the Bulldogs pitch that gives them a boost, it’s also the variety of pitching styles that makes it tough for opponents.
"They really do have three different looks," Scarborough said. "... Peja Goold spins the ball almost better than anybody in the sport with the wiffle ball movement that she gets. ... (Faircloth's) changeup is one of the best in the game. ... And then Delainey being left-handed, but being more of a hard thrower, so a completely different look than what Peja and Alyssa bring."
Scarborough also credited the Bulldogs’ offense for improving from the regular season. MSU ranks No. 14 in the SEC in batting average and No. 13 in runs but totaled 18 runs on 25 hits during super regionals.
Although MSU hadn’t been a strong hitting team all season, Scarborough doesn’t think their performance in Norman was a one-off occurrence.
“I think it was things getting put all together at the right time. I really do,” she said. “Maybe a fluke in a sense of, why hadn’t this been coming together for the rest of the year? But I don’t think it’s a fluke in a sense of nobody ever thought they could do that. I just don’t think it had happened yet.”
For Lang, Mississippi State’s advantage has more to do with how the Bulldogs carry themselves than their play on the field.
She mentioned their “infectious energy” and cited their adoption of Broccoli Guy as an unofficial mascot and the pink unicorn hobby horse that they carry around as examples of how they keep things lose.
“So much of the postseason really is mental in a long season like the sport of softball,” Lang said. “So much of it is a mental, emotional battle. … So much of it is belief, and every time I watch that team, like, that’s a team that believes they can do it, and sometimes, that’s all it takes.”
As the only unseeded team in the field and playing in the WCWS for the first time, winning the national title will be an uphill battle for MSU. But the Bulldogs haven’t been favored in many of their previous postseason matchups and still made it to Oklahoma City.
"I truly believe anybody could win it, and I'm not just lumping Mississippi State into that," Scarborough said. "I truly believe (that) because of their pitching staff and the way they hit. Last weekend in Norman, I truly believed they could win it too. ... Mississippi State is just truly peaking, like peak, peak, like Mount Everest type peak, at the right time."
All times CT
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why unseeded Mississippi State can win WCWS, ESPN broadcasters say
Continue reading...
That's exactly how ESPN broadcasters Alyssa Lang and Amanda Scarborough are thinking of them ahead of the Women's College World Series.
“It really does feel so wide open,” Lang said. “… Being able to walk out of (Oklahoma) tells me that they absolutely can make it to the finals here at the (Women’s) College World Series. They have the horses to do it, or the dogs to do it, I should say.”
Mississippi State (43-19) plays No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) to open its first WCWS at Devon Park on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN).
The main thing the Bulldogs have going for them is their pitching staff, according to Scarborough. MSU’s team ERA of 2.29 ranks No. 8 in the NCAA.
Alyssa Faircloth (16-7. 2.47 ERA) and Peja Goold (15-11. 2.36) have pitched most of the innings. Delainey Everett (3-1, 0.69 ERA) emerged as another option after pitching a shutout in the final game of the super regionals.
But it’s not just how well the Bulldogs pitch that gives them a boost, it’s also the variety of pitching styles that makes it tough for opponents.
"They really do have three different looks," Scarborough said. "... Peja Goold spins the ball almost better than anybody in the sport with the wiffle ball movement that she gets. ... (Faircloth's) changeup is one of the best in the game. ... And then Delainey being left-handed, but being more of a hard thrower, so a completely different look than what Peja and Alyssa bring."
Scarborough also credited the Bulldogs’ offense for improving from the regular season. MSU ranks No. 14 in the SEC in batting average and No. 13 in runs but totaled 18 runs on 25 hits during super regionals.
Although MSU hadn’t been a strong hitting team all season, Scarborough doesn’t think their performance in Norman was a one-off occurrence.
“I think it was things getting put all together at the right time. I really do,” she said. “Maybe a fluke in a sense of, why hadn’t this been coming together for the rest of the year? But I don’t think it’s a fluke in a sense of nobody ever thought they could do that. I just don’t think it had happened yet.”
For Lang, Mississippi State’s advantage has more to do with how the Bulldogs carry themselves than their play on the field.
She mentioned their “infectious energy” and cited their adoption of Broccoli Guy as an unofficial mascot and the pink unicorn hobby horse that they carry around as examples of how they keep things lose.
“So much of the postseason really is mental in a long season like the sport of softball,” Lang said. “So much of it is a mental, emotional battle. … So much of it is belief, and every time I watch that team, like, that’s a team that believes they can do it, and sometimes, that’s all it takes.”
As the only unseeded team in the field and playing in the WCWS for the first time, winning the national title will be an uphill battle for MSU. But the Bulldogs haven’t been favored in many of their previous postseason matchups and still made it to Oklahoma City.
"I truly believe anybody could win it, and I'm not just lumping Mississippi State into that," Scarborough said. "I truly believe (that) because of their pitching staff and the way they hit. Last weekend in Norman, I truly believed they could win it too. ... Mississippi State is just truly peaking, like peak, peak, like Mount Everest type peak, at the right time."
2026 Women's College World Series schedule
All times CT
- May 28
- Game 1: Mississippi State vs Texas Tech (11 a.m., ESPN)
- Game 2: Tennessee vs Texas (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
- Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- May 29
- Game 5: Game 1 loser vs Game 2 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 6: Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- May 30
- Game 7: Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner (2 p.m., ABC)
- Game 8: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner (6 p.m., ESPN)
- May 31
- Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 8 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
- Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 7 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- June 1
- Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)
- Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
- Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- June 3
- Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)
- June 4
- Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)
- June 5
- If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why unseeded Mississippi State can win WCWS, ESPN broadcasters say
Continue reading...
