How to Watch: Mississippi State vs. Washington, NCAA Regional

The Bulldogs head into the NCAA Tournament with the chance to face a familiar foe and pitcher, but first have to get past the Huskies.

Mississippi State Outfielder Sierra Sacco (#29) during the SEC Tournament second round game against LSU at Jack Turner Softball Stadium in Athens, GA. / Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State softball, for a third-straight, lost its first game of the SEC Tournament and returned home to Starkville to await its postseason fate.

Three years ago, the Bulldogs’ season ended after the SEC Tournament. Now, they’re in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season after ending the season ranked 18th in the ESPN.COM/USA Softball Poll.

“Any time you get a chance and opportunity to continue your season in the postseason, it's always special,” coach Samantha Ricketts said in a Monday morning press conference. “I know we're excited to see our name up there. I think expecting to see our name up there is something that we've been working hard towards.”

Arnold may have stolen some of the show last night, so here's an "Arnie" appreciation post!

(Our coach's dog is cooler than yours)@Coach_Ricketts | #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/0Zvsatu7Yz

— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) May 12, 2025

There wasn’t any question of whether Mississippi State would be in the NCAA Tournament – any top 25-ranked SEC team won’t have to worry about that. The Bulldogs would have preferred to host a NCAA Regional, but came up short of that goal. Instead, they’ll head to west Texas where Texas Tech is hosting the regional tournament with Washington and Brown the other teams coming to Lubbock.

Mississippi State has some history with both Washington and, much more recently, Texas Tech. The Bulldogs have never played Brown. The series history with the Huskies, whom the Bulldogs will face in the first game of the regional, can be found below.

“They're a young team, but I think they've got some good transfers in there. A lot of deep pitching; they can throw a lot of different arms at you,” Ricketts said. “for us, it's going to be a challenge. They know how to play, they know how to win in the postseason, and it's definitely a team that we cannot take lightly to start off regional… I think it's going to be a really even matchup.”

The Bulldogs and Red Raiders played a game earlier this season, the season-opening game for Mississippi State that it won 3-1. But that was back in February and teams can evolve in three months of regular play.

Happy Selection Show Mother's Day (dog moms included)#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/EiYf63abPT

— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) May 12, 2025

“I think they're a different team than when we faced them in February, and so are we,” Ricketts said. “They’ve got a really tough lineup one through nine. They're fast, they can hit for power, and I think their defense has been playing really well of late.”

But before the Bulldogs can worry about Texas Tech and its nation’s leader in ERA, NiJaree Candy (0.81 ERA and who Mississippi State saw in last year’s NCAA Regional at Stanford) they have to get past the Huskies.

Here’s everything you need to know to follow Mississippi State’s NCAA Regional game against Washington:

How to Watch: Washington vs. Mississippi State, NCAA Softball Regional

Who: Washington (34-17, 12-9 Big Ten) vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (37-17, 13-11 SEC)

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Rocky Johnson Field, Lubbock, Texas

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Live Radio

Series: Washington leads the all-time series 7-1

Last Meeting: Washington 8, Mississippi State 0 (2019 NCAA Tournament)

Last time out, Bulldogs: lost to LSU, 5-0 (SEC Tournament)

Last time out, Huskies: lost to Indiana, 2-0 (Big Ten Tournament)

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