WACO, Texas – No. 24 ranked Mississippi State used an early barrage and capitalized on a pair of Northwestern State miscues to take a 9-3 win in Friday's first game of the 2026 Getterman Classic at Baylor.
 
A two-out error in the bottom of the first opened the door for three runs and was followed by back-to-back solo home runs in the second to give the Bulldogs (2-0) a 5-0 lead within the span of five hitters early in the game.
 
A three-run fourth though pulled the Demons (0-1) out of run-rule danger and a stellar debut from freshman pitcher Grace Birk made for a competitive final few innings.
 
"I'm proud of them for pushing through and forcing the game to keep going," head coach Jenny Fuller said. "After the first couple of innings they (Mississippi State) could have run away with it but we settled in. I think there were some nerves there for us. But once we settle in we played our game, made some good plays, pitchers did a good job and I'm proud of our team."
 
The Demons were one out away from a scoreless first until an error and subsequent single to left scored three quick runs for the Bulldogs. Back-to-back home runs from Taylor Troutman and Xiane Romero stretched the lead to five in the second and another Troutman shot in the third made it an 8-0 game after three.
 
After struggling to find their swing the first time through the order, the Demons found life at the plate the second time around, aided by key pinch-hit appearances.
 
With runners at first and second following a hit by pitch and sharp single, DJ Lynch delivered the first run of the 2026 season on an RBI single to left scoring Britt Bourgoyne on the play. Moving to third on the play, Brynn Daniel came into score on a wild pitch during Sophia Livers at-bat that ended in a walk and put runners at the corners.
 
A plan they ran with great success a year ago paid dividends again on opening day as McKenna Rinewalt dove in safely at home on a double steal with Livers giving the Demons their first crooked number inning of the season.
 
The Demons did not score three runs in an inning until the 16^th game of 2025.
 
The boost from the offense also invigorated the pitching and defense that allowed just one run over the final three innings of the game on just three hits.
 
Transfer Mattison Buster threw three solid innings in relief before turning the ball over to freshman Grace Birk for the final two innings.
 
The Burlington, Kan., native struck out the first batter she faced in her collegiate career and threw two scoreless innings giving up just one hit with three strikeouts.
 
"She was able to settle in quickly and didn't let the moment get too big," Fuller said of Birk. "I expect big things from her, but going against and SEC team in her first outing is hard to do and she rose to the occasion."
 
NSU returns to action on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. against New Mexico and then Wichita State.