Mississippi State Softball Ends 2022 Season By Making History

Mississippi State's softball program had a rocky start to the 2022 season, but it ended the year by making history and setting new precedents for the future.

The Bulldogs ended the year with a 37-27 overall record, including 10-14 in SEC play. They swept in-state rival Ole Miss to open conference play and picked up another series victory over Missouri, as well as various wins scattered in between.

MSU got heated heading into postseason play in the Tallahassee Regional. Despite dropping the first game of the regional to South Florida, the Bulldogs fought through the loser's bracket with a shutout of Howard and a revenge victory against South Florida. They played a doubleheader against Florida State -- the No. 2 national seed -- and won both games to become the Regional Champions for the first time in program history.

Not only did the Bulldogs get to go to the first Super Regional in team history, but they also got to host it on their home field. The Arizona Wildcats traveled to Starkville and were greeted with record crowds of maroon and white. More than 2,200 fans piled into every nook and crevice of Nusz Park to watch history unfold.

Arizona ultimately won the Mississippi State Super Regional. The Wildcats tallied a 3-2 victory in Game 1 on Friday morning and sealed a trip to the Women's College World Series with a 7-1 win on Saturday afternoon. MSU fell only a few runs short of continuing its improbable run at a championship appearance.

Even with the loss, the determination that the Bulldogs showed can only help them in years to come.

State returns a slew of experienced players next season. Head coach Samantha Ricketts has also recruited some talented new faces that can continue leading the program in a new direction. That doesn't mean that everything will be perfect: Mississippi State will be losing a few stars in the offseason. Mia Davidson -- the star catcher who totaled the most home runs in SEC history -- and lights-out pitcher Annie Willis have no more eligibility and can choose to take their talents to a professional level.

Some big steps were made in 2022, but there is still plenty of potential for the Bulldogs. The next few years could be huge for the team and change the future of the sport at Mississippi State.

That's something coach Samantha Ricketts seems to be keeping in mind.

“The message was to keep their heads up, that they should be proud of what they’ve done for this program and thanking the seniors for all of the hard work they’ve done and for moving this program forward, and to not be satisfied. To know that every time we get the chance to get back on this field moving forward, to have those four in mind."