The Mississippi State University softball team dropped two games to the No. 17 University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, over the weekend, but the MSU softball team is far from done in 2023.
Aspen Wesley got the start in the circle for MSU in Friday’s game. MSU held UGA to two runs before heading into the third but were forced to bring in the talented freshman Josey Marron to relieve Wesley, as UGA continued to apply pressure with their talented hitters in the lineup.
Marron has had a great run thus far in her first season playing collegiate softball. Through the 2023 season, Marron has posted a 1.70 ERA, and she also tied the MSU freshman strikeout record for a single game earlier this year against Furman.
In the bottom of the fifth, Marron continued to battle in the circle for the Maroon and White, throwing an exact 12 pitches in a 1-2-3 inning.
Mississippi State tried to build some momentum going into the final inning, but it was quickly put out by the plethora of talent on the UGA defense. After getting runners on base, Brylie St. Clair bunted to advance two runners to scoring position, but it was not enough to mount the comeback, as UGA would claim a 3-0 victory.
Following the tough loss, MSU head coach Samantha Ricketts shared what she saw from her squad in the battle against UGA.
“I think the biggest thing is that I’d like to see a little more fight early on, not wait until seventh,” Ricketts said. “We need to be making plays for our pitchers and just overall play a cleaner ballgame. Georgia’s a great team. They’re going to hit and hit the ball hard. We have to expect it and be ready to make some plays.”
Another freshman pitcher, Reis Beuerlein took to the rubber on Saturday. The talented newcomer out of Cave Creek, Arizona, has also shown early signs of success in the circle. Beuerlein earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for her performance in the sweep against the University of South Carolina.
Unfortunately for MSU, Saturday’s game was not a true display of Beuerlein’s talents. She pitched one inning and gave four runs before Kenley Hawk came in for relief.
Mississippi State was hitless in Saturday’s game, as Georgia claimed a 10-0 victory in just five innings.
Due to inclement weather conditions, Sunday’s game between the two teams was canceled. MSU will hit the road for a midweek game at the University of Louisiana-Monroe before the return home for a weekend series against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks at Nusz Park.
Mississippi State last faced Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2021, where Hogs swept the Bulldogs. With many arms stepping up in the circle and an earlier offensive presence, the battle between the Hogs and the Bulldogs will be an intriguing matchup in Starkvegas.
First pitch times are set as followed: Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m., with all games broadcasting live on SEC Network+.
