Mississippi State softball is set to play in its first Women’s College World Series game ever.
After beating Oklahoma 6-0 in Game 3 of the super regionals on May 24, the Bulldogs (43-19) will face No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) in their WCWS debut on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
The last time MSU played Texas Tech was in last season’s NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders ended the Bulldogs season, beating them 9-6 in the Lubbock Regional final.
Here’s what to know about the matchup.
NiJaree Canady, Kaitlyn Terry are elite pitching tandem
NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry are two of the best pitchers in the nation, and thanks to them, Texas Tech has the sixth-best ERA in the NCAA (2.12).
Terry (24-1, 1.68 ERA) is one of the nation’s top two-way players. She’s the team’s leader in ERA and ranks 13th in the NCAA, and her 0.89 WHIP ranks eighth. She is also the team’s leader in batting average at .457 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Canady (26-8, 1.78 ERA) has pitched the most innings for Texas Tech (161). Her 226 strikeouts rank No. 11 in the nation.
Mia Williams headlines explosive Texas Tech offense
Texas Tech has one of the top offenses in the country. The Red Raiders rank No. 2 in team batting average (.384), No. 2 in hits (628), No. 3 in home runs (136) and No. 3 in total runs (611).
Texas Tech’s offense is powered by Mia Williams. She leads the Red Raiders in home runs (24) and RBIs (82) while hitting .435 with a .927 slugging percentage.
The Red Raiders have picked up three run-rule victories and scored at least 10 runs six times in their last nine games. Texas Tech has four hitters who have a batting average above .400 and eight players who have hit double-digit home runs.
Why Mississippi State can win vs Texas Tech
Even though Texas Tech’s offense is potent, it can be silenced, as proven in Arizona State’s shutout win vs. the Red Raiders in the Big 12 championship.
Mississippi State is coming off a shutout of Oklahoma. The Sooners’ offense is one of very few in the NCAA that rivals Texas Tech’s. Delainey Everett (3-1, 0.69 ERA), making her first start of the season, held Oklahoma to just three hits in the breakout performance.
Despite an off weekend in the super regionals, Peja Goold (15-11, 2.36 ERA) and Alyssa Faircloth (16-7, 2.47) are still strong pitchers for the Bulldogs. Faircloth is the SEC Newcomer of the Year and has the fifth-most strikeouts in the country (264). Goold’s eight shutouts are tied for fourth in the NCAA.
If both return to form in Oklahoma City, the Bulldogs pitching depth could position them to continue their Cinderella run, beginning with a win over the Red Raiders.
Mississippi State softball vs Texas Tech WCWS prediction
Texas Tech 6, Mississippi State 2: Both Canady and Terry are better pitchers than who Mississippi State faced in the super regionals. It’ll be tougher for their offense to create runs, even if the pitching staff can challenge Texas Tech’s hitters.
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 7 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
- Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 8 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 treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State softball vs Texas Tech prediction for WCWS opener
