Holly Ward Perfect as Softball Sweeps Opening Day with Shutout Wins

Friday, February 9

Starkville

3:00 PM

Mississippi State

1-0

Mississippi Valley State

0-2

Mississippi Valley

Mississippi State

Senior RHP Holly Ward tossed Mississippi State's first perfect game since 1997 with help of a career-high 11 strikeouts.

Holly Ward Perfect as Softball Sweeps Opening Day with Shutout Wins

February 09, 2018 | Softball

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Behind shutdown pitching performances from seniors Holly Ward and Cassady Knudsen, including Mississippi State's first perfect game in over 20 seasons, the Bulldog softball team tallied a pair of shutouts to open the 2017 season Friday evening inside Nusz Park.

Mississippi State opened the 2018 Bulldog Kickoff Classic with back-to-back, run-rule victories, topping Mississippi Valley State, 10-0, in five innings behind Ward's perfect game and defeating Omaha, 8-0, in five innings after sitting through a two-hour rain delay before tonight's nightcap contest.

It's the second consecutive year that MSU has earned back-to-back shutouts to open a season. The Bulldogs topped Georgia State, 4-0, and Stephen F. Austin, 2-0, to open the 2017 campaign.

"I feel pretty good about the day," head coach Vann Stuedeman said. "We had productive, timely hitting over both contests. Pitching, obviously, went very well today. We had 24 strikeouts on the day. I'm really excited about Holly Ward's perfect game, just the second one in program history. We really put the bat on the ball very well. We played great defense. We didn't have an error on the day. For opening day, that's a great way to dust off the cobwebs."

Ward took center stage in Friday's opening contest as she tossed Mississippi State's first perfect game in over two decades to shut down the Devilettes for an 10-0 victory. The Bulldogs flexed the offense early with a six-run first inning. Senior shortstop Reggie Harrison brought home the first run of the game with a bases-loaded hit by pitch before redshirt junior utility player Bevia Robinson came home on a wild pitch Junior first baseman Sarai Niu and senior designated player Morgan Bell broke the game open with back-to-back doubles. Senior infielder/catcher Calyn Adams drove in the final run of the first with an RBI single.

Ward kept the Devilettes off the bases while the Dogs continued to press. MSU added four runs in the second inning as Niu added her third RBI of the contest with a single to center. Junior utility player Emily Heimberger drove home three with a triple down the right-field line before Bell's sacrifice fly to deep center field helped Heimberger cross the plate for the final run of the game. Ward fanned a career-high 11 to secure MSU's first perfect game since 1997.

"We were really excited," said Ward following perfection. "We were pumped to be back on the field again at Nusz Park. Calyn [Adams] and Mia [Davidson] behind the plate were really working for me. Mia was getting me calls left and right and blocking balls up. Calyn closed the game with me. She did a great job. Sarai [Niu] she took a beating. She told me afterward that that was for my perfect game. It shows that they've got my back, and I've got theirs."

Game two featured another senior right-hander in Cassady Knudsen, who tossed 4.1 perfect frames against the Mavericks of Omaha with the help of a career-high 10 strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Knudsen issued just one walk and a single during the final inning of play.

The Bulldogs got things rolling offensively with another huge first inning. Junior outfielder Kat Moore led off with a walk before scoring on a triple to center off the bat of Robinson. Freshman catcher/infielder Mia Davidson slugged her first collegiate home run with a rocket over the scoreboard to put MSU up 3-0. Adams picked up two RBIs with a double to center to give the Dogs a 5-0 advantage after one.

Bell led off the third with a home run to left center before a Davidson Double and Niu single brought it a pair of runs in the fourth to put MSU in run-rule territory. Knudsen loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, but work out of the jam with a final strikeout to earn the first victory of her senior campaign.

Pending rain disrupting Saturday's schedule, State will turn its attention to Missouri State as the Bulldogs face the Mavericks at 12:30 p.m. CT. A win would secure the No. 1 seed in the Bulldog Kickoff Classic and a spot in the 3:00 p.m. matchup against the tournament's No. 4 seed.

2018 Bulldog Kickoff Classic Schedule
Friday, Feb. 9
Game 1 – Omaha def. Missouri State, 2-1
Game 2 – Missouri State def. Mississippi Valley State, 4-0
Game 3 - Mississippi State def. Mississippi Valley State, 10-0 (5 inn.)
Game 4 - Mississippi State def. Omaha, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Saturday, Feb. 10
Game 5 – Mississippi Valley State vs. Omaha – 10 a.m. CT
Game 6 - Mississippi State vs. Missouri State – 12:30 p.m. CT
Game 7 - 1 Seed vs. 4 Seed - 3 p.m. CT
Game 8 - 2 Seed vs. 3 Seed - 5:30 p.m. CT

Sunday, Feb. 11
Game 9 - Consolation Game - 11 a.m. CT
Game 10 - Championship Game - 1:30 p.m. CT

Scoring Plays vs. MVSU….
1^st inning – Reggie Harrison takes a bases-loaded hit by pitch off the arm to score Kat More
1^st Inning – Bevia Robinson scores off a wild pitch
1^st Inning – Sarai Niu drives home Reggie Harrison and Mia Davidson with a double to center field
1^st Inning – Morgan Bell doubles to center field to bring home Sarai Niu
1^st Inning – Calyn Adams singles up the middle plating Morgan Bell
2^nd Inning – Sarai Niu singles to center field to score Mia Davidson who had advanced to third on an MVSU error
2^nd Inning – Emily Heimberger clears the bases with a triple down the right field line to score Reggie Harrison and Sarai Niu
2^nd Inning – Emily Heimberger comes home on a Morgan Bell sacrifice fly to deep center field

Scoring Balls vs. Omaha
1^st Inning – Bevia Robinson flashed her speed with a triple to center to score Kat Moore, who drew a leadoff walk
1^st Inning – Mia Davidson's first collegiate home run rockets over the scoreboard to plate Bevia Robinson
1^st Inning – With two runners on base, Calyn Adams clears the bases with a double to center to score Morgan Bell and Reggie Harrison
3^rd Inning – Morgan Bell leads off with a solo home run to left center
4^th Inning – Mia Davidson slugs a double to center field, bringing home Bevia Robinson
4^th Inning – Sarai Niu sneaks a single through the left side allowing Mia Davidson to score safely

Ward's Perfect Friday
Holly Ward tossed her first solo no-hitter and just the second perfect game in MSU program history behind a career-high 11 strikeouts versus MVSU. State's first perfect game was tossed on March 2, 1997 as Jenny Hehnke blanked Alabama State 18-0 over five innings.

Repeat Record Start
Friday's results mark the second consecutive season that the Bulldogs have opened the year with back-to-back shutouts. Last year, the Dogs topped Georgia State, 4-0, before defeating Stephen F. Austin, 2-0. It's the first time since 2014 that the Bulldogs have earned two run-rule victories over opening day. That season, MSU defeated Mississippi Valley, 8-0, and Western Kentucky, 12-1, both in five innings.

Oh My Mia
Freshman Mia Davidson turned in a perfect day at the plate in her debut outing as a Bulldog. Earning back-to-back starts, Davidson went 4-for-4 with a walk, reaching base in every single plate appearance. She added a double and home run for three RBIs and four runs scored.

Strike Out Cass
Cassady Knudsen was almost untouchable against Omaha to close Friday's action. Over the first three innings, Knudsen recorded eight strikeouts against nine batters faced. She closed the game with a career-high 10 punch outs.

Watch Video
Both of Mississippi State's Saturday contests will be broadcasted on the SEC Network via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app. (NOTE: The link for Saturday's second contest will be distributed once seeded is determined.

MSU vs. Missouri State

Live Stats
Mississippi State will provide live stats for all 10 contests the weekend. Live stats can be accessed HERE or by visiting msu.statbroadcast.com.

Admission
All regular-season contests at Nusz Park are free admission

Promotions
Saturday, Feb. 10
MSU vs. Missouri State (12:30 p.m.); MSU vs. TBD (3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.)
- Free admission

Sunday, Feb. 11
MSU vs. TBD (11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.)
- Free admission

Follow the Dawgs
For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".