Sunday was a day of firsts for No. 5 Mississippi State, and one that will go down in history.
The Bulldogs blanked No. 1 Oklahoma 6-0 in Game 3 of the Norman Regional to advance to the Women's College World Series for the first time in program history, snapping the Sooners' longest-active WCWS appearance streak in the NCAA at nine-straight.
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The victory came at the hands of junior Delainey Everett's first-ever career start, hurling a complete game with three strikeouts to hold Oklahoma to three hits. At the plate, three Bulldogs recorded multiple hits with Paige Ernstes and Morgan Bernardini slugging home runs while Kinley Keller recorded a three-RBI day.
We want some MO!!!!!!
— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB)
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Everett's complete game shutout marks the first time OU has been held scoreless in 399 games – the last time coming in 2019 at the WCWS where to force an "if-necessary" semifinal game.
If you take a closer look at this MSU win at Love's Field, you'll see how significant it really is.
For instance, Mississippi State Head Coach Samantha Ricketts returned to her alma mater to secure this upset. Ricketts had a decorated collegiate career, playing at Oklahoma under Patty Gasso from 2006-09 at first base and breaking the program's career home run record (48) and RBI (239) at the time. She went on to coach as a grad assistant under Patty Gasso from 2010-11.
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Ricketts became the first former player to defeat Gasso in the Bulldog's Friday 11-9 win, and she followed it up by becoming the first to beat the OU coach for a tournament championship.
There are a few more firsts in case you wanted more.
As mentioned earlier, the Bulldogs' win at the guidance of Ricketts marks the first time since 2015 that Oklahoma has failed to reach OKC. Furthermore, the upset marks the first time that a program has reached its first-ever WCWS appearance by defeating the Sooners.
HISTORY MADE‼️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)
MISSISSIPPI STATE IS HEADED TO ITS FIRST-EVER WCWS ��
The Mississippi State team will join Arkansas in OKC as the only teams making their WCWS debuts amongst a veteran crowd.
But if this tournament has taught us anything, it's to never count out a dog in a fight.
