Mississippi State Falls Short in Series Opener at Texas A&M

Bulldogs' late chances not enough to overcome early deficit in SEC matchup

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:06pm

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A fractured, geometric painting in vibrant colors, capturing the dynamic movements and energy of a baseball game through an abstract, multi-perspective lens.A cubist interpretation of the tense battle between Mississippi State and Texas A&M on the baseball diamond.Mississippi State Today

Mississippi State's baseball team fell 3-1 to Texas A&M in the series opener, despite late opportunities to rally. The Bulldogs spotted the Aggies an early 3-0 lead, and while they fought back, they were unable to capitalize on several chances to tie the game late.

Why it matters

This loss drops Mississippi State to 6-10 in SEC play, making their margin for error slim as they try to climb back into the conference race. The Bulldogs will need to rebound quickly, as they have another chance to take on the Aggies this morning with the schedule adjusted due to weather.

The details

Mississippi State fell behind 3-0 early, with Texas A&M hitting two solo home runs and scoring on a wild pitch in the first two innings. Despite the Bulldogs' efforts to rally, they left multiple runners stranded in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings before finally scoring a run on an RBI single by Des Rivera. The Bulldogs' bullpen, led by Delainey Everett's strong relief appearance, kept them in the game, but the offense was unable to complete the comeback.

  • The series opener took place on Friday, April 18, 2026.
  • The teams will play again this morning, with the schedule adjusted due to weather.

The players

Samantha Ricketts

The head coach of the Mississippi State baseball team.

Peja Goold

The starting pitcher for Mississippi State in the series opener.

Delainey Everett

A relief pitcher for Mississippi State who provided a strong outing to keep the Bulldogs in the game.

Des Rivera

A Mississippi State player who drove in the team's lone run with an RBI single.

Nadia Barbary

A Mississippi State player who continues to climb the doubles list.

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What they’re saying

“I liked our fight. I think we're really just working through some things offensively, and trying to stay together. This team still believes, and we're going to battle and fight every chance we get, and I think I saw a lot of that.”

— Samantha Ricketts, Mississippi State Head Coach

“That was just a huge relief appearance by Delaney to keep us in it. It's really good to have her back and healthy these last few weeks because these are the moments where we really need her and rely on her.”

— Samantha Ricketts, Mississippi State Head Coach

What’s next

The teams will play again this morning, with the schedule adjusted due to weather. Mississippi State will need to clean up the early innings, continue to get quality relief pitching, and find timely hits to even the series.

The takeaway

This loss drops Mississippi State to 6-10 in SEC play, making their path back into the conference race more difficult. While the Bulldogs showed fight and had their chances, they were unable to capitalize, highlighting the need for a more consistent offensive performance moving forward.