Bulldogs make history with three first-team ALL-SEC players on list
Smith, SDN)
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – For the first time in Mississippi State softball history, three Bulldogs earned first team All-southeastern Conference honors as sophomore Mia Davidson, junior Fa Leilua and senior Kat Moore were selected as first-team honorees by the league's coaches, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.
The announcement marks the first time since 2009 that Mississippi State has boasted multiple ALL-SEC selections and the first time since 2008 (Chelsea Bramlett, Courtney Bures) that multiple Bulldogs have been picked to the ALLSEC first team. Mississippi State tied SEC regular-season champion Alabama for the most first-team selections.
Davidson earns her second consecutive ALL-SEC first team honor, becoming the first Bulldog since Chelsea Bramlett (2008, 2009, 2010) to earn back-to-back first team selections.
Joining the Bulldog trio with postseason accolades was freshman outfielder Anna Kate Segars, who earned a spot on the SEC All-freshman Team.
Turning in one of the most impressive slugging performances in SEC history, Davidson makes her return to the ALL-SEC first team. Davidson closed the regular season as the conference leader in home runs per game (0.49), home runs (25) and total bases (142). The Hillsborough, North Carolina, native is also the NCAA Division I leader in home runs and home runs per game.
Her 25 home runs have set a new Mississippi State sophomore record and singleseason record. The mark has tied Georgia's Alex Hugo (2014) and Alabama's Kelly Kretschman (1998) for the SEC'S single-season record.
Davidson rounded out the regular season ranking second in the conference with 61 RBI, becoming just the third Bulldog to record 60 RBI over a single season, and slugging percentage (.940). The Bulldog leader at the plate, Davidson also holds team highs in batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.492), runs scored (48), hits (59), doubles (eight) and walks (21). Davidson is the lone player in the SEC to record at least 60 RBI, 55 hits and 45 runs scored this season.
Behind the dish, Davidson is lethal with four pick-offs and 10 runners caught stealing over her sophomore season. She holds a .980 fielding percentage, committing just six errors, coupled with 271 putouts and 30 assists.
Making a splash in her debut season for the Bulldogs, Leilua led Mississippi State and all SEC designated players/utility athletes with a .387 average and eight home runs over league play. Leilua was one of two Bulldogs to start all 52 games this season as she finished second on the squad with a .369 batting average and .840 slugging percentage. The junior added 42 runs scored, 59 hits and 50 RBI.
The Hawthorne, California, native closed the regular season with 22 total home runs, which set a new Mississippi State junior record and ranks second in single-season history behind only her teammate Mia Davidson. Leilua currently ranks second in the SEC in home runs per game (0.42) and home runs, third in total bases (132) and fifth in slugging percentage. RBI. The freshman held a .370 on-base percentage with help of three walks and two hit by pitches. Defensively, she recorded 22 putouts with three assists.
Bulldogs begin SEC Tournament
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Makings its 18th overall appearance in the SEC Tournament, the 12th-seeded Mississippi State softball (3220; 9-15 SEC) will open the tournament against 13th-seeded Texas A&M (28-24, 6-18 SEC) for the second consecutive season as the Bulldogs face the host Aggies today.
First pitch from Davis Diamond in College Station is set for 10 a.m. on the SEC Network. The opening game of the tournament will feature Adam Amin, Amanda Scarborough and Tiffany Greene on the call. Fans can also access the game online through WATCHESPN or the ESPN app.
The winner of today's opening contest will be back in action later tonight to face fifth-seeded Ole Miss at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Mississippi State and Texas A&M did not meet over the 2019 regular season. The last time the two teams tangled was in the opening game of the 2018 SEC Tournament in Columbia, Missouri. The Bulldogs knocked off the Aggies with a 2-0 upset, earning State's first victory in the tournament since 2005.
Today marks the sixth straight and 18th overall appearance in the SEC Tournament for Mississippi State. MSU holds a 12-15 overall record in the tournament games.