Mississippi State softball has had a fantastic year. The Bulldogs, in their fifth-year under head coach Samantha Ricketts, put together one of their best regular seasons in recent history with 33 wins and a 12-12 conference record, their first .500 SEC record since 2007. They are currently ranked as a consensus Top-20 team nationally.
State suffered an early exit from the SEC Softball Tournament, falling in the opening round to 11-seed South Carolina 8-4 in late night action. But despite the loss, there's still plenty of momentum behind this program as they look ahead to the NCAA Tournament.
While they won't be hosting a regional, MSU softball is likely to be one of the top 2-seeds selected into the field. They'll be the exact type of team a regional host won't want to face. A big part of why is because of the talent on the roster.
The Bulldogs boast a fearsome lineup and have a pair of fantastic starting pitchers. And three of their players received postseason honors for their performances this year.
Our All-SEC trio 🤩#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/dDaBMWq91L
— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) May 10, 2024
Madisyn Kennedy, Aspen Wesley, and Sierra Sacco were all named as All-SEC selections for 2024.
Madisyn Kennedy named 1st Team All-SEC
Senior 1st-baseman Madisyn Kennedy became State's first 1st Team All-SEC selection since Mia Davidson in 2022. Kennedy hit .325 with 56 RBI and 17 home runs this season. Her .829 slugging percentage led the SEC, and she set a school record with nine home runs in conference play, which also was the best in the league this year.
Aspen Wesley named 2nd Team All-SEC
The Bulldog's senior ace pitcher Aspen Wesley earned 2nd Team All-SEC honors. Wesley went 14-6 on the year with a 3.28 ERA and an opponent batting average allowed of just .204. She threw 12 complete games, including two in State's series win over Georgia, which led to her being named National Pitcher of the Week.
Today, Wesley got some love from popular baseball content creator Jomboy on Twitter (X) for her pitching prowess.
Her pitch mix is nasty pic.twitter.com/oye87UUecA
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) May 10, 2024
Sierra Sacco named 2nd Team All-SEC
Junior outfielder Sierra Sacco joined Wesley as a 2nd Team All-SEC selection. Sacco, who was a two-time all-conference selection at Louisiana Tech, has been outstanding in her first season in Starkville. MSU's leadoff hitter batted .348 with 49 hits. She posted a .497 on-base percentage, went a perfect 19-19 on stolen base attempts, and had 52 runs scored.
Mississippi State softball will learn their NCAA Tournament destination Sunday night at 6:00 pm CT during the NCAA Softball Tournament selection show on ESPN2.