MSU Softball Opens 2007 With Two Wins In Bulldog Round Robin

Friday, February 9

Starkville

TBA

Mississippi State

1-0

Iowa State

0-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mississippi State	0	6	2	1	0	0	0	9	13	2
Iowa State	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	5	5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mississippi State	1	0	2	0	1	2	0	6	13	2
Purdue	0	1	1	0	0	0	3	5	9	6

Bulldogs Send League-Best 14 Softball Players To SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll

MSU Softball Opens 2007 With Two Wins In Bulldog Round Robin

January 01, 1970 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

* Official Statistics (vs. Iowa State)
* Official Statistics (vs. Purdue)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State softball team used key hits and took advantage of 12 opponent errors to open the 2007 season and the Bulldog Round Robin with two victories. The Bulldogs defeated Iowa State, 9-3, and then held off a late rally by Purdue to win, 6-5.

I thought the kids came out real well today, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. It was a tough first day, both from a pitching standpoint and a hitting standpoint. We did a nice job in terms of swinging the bats. The pitching did a good job in both games for us. Four of the five pitchers threw today and all of them did a nice job. We made some nice plays defensively, but we also made some mistakes. But those are things we can learn from and improve on.

Despite seven Purdue errors, Mississippi State was forced to hold off a furious Boilermaker two-out, seventh inning rally to hang on for a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

Behind 6-2 and down to its final at-bat, the Boilermakers went to work. After a fielder's choice, Ashley Hall stole second and Kelsey Haupert walked. After both moved up a base on Kelsey Nurnberg's wild pitch, Catherine Zaworski singled, driving both in and cutting the deficit to 6-4. Jenna Alexander made it a one-run game with a single of her own, but Sara Hickerson came on and got Katie Mitchell to pop out to end the game.

MState started things in the first. With Chelsea Bramlett on third, Courtney Bures singled, giving MSU the 1-0 lead.

Purdue tied the game in the second on a Mitchell double, but the Bulldogs retook the lead in the third. Nakita Boyce reached on an error and Hayle Guess doubled. After Bures' ground out scored Boyce, Katie Cooley reached on a fielder's choice, and scored when Gina McCloud reached on an error.

The Boilermakers got a run back in the bottom half, but MSU added a run in the fifth and another in the sixth, setting up Purdue's comeback attempt.

Kelsey Nurnberg went 4.2 innings while striking out three for the victory. Sara Hickerson picked up her first save since the 2004 season.

Down 2-0, State took advantage of four ISU errors to break the game open in the second inning. Sammie Jo Bailey led of with a single and advanced to third when Katie Cooley reached on an error. After Blair Hewett's sacrifice fly cut the lead to one, Jessie Bailey doubled, tying the game. One out later, Chelsea Bramlett singled, giving MState the lead. The Bulldogs scored the final three runs in the inning off of three ISU errors.

Mississippi State added to its lead in both the third and fourth. With one out, Hewett singled and pinch-runner Rachel Hurley scored on Jessie Bailey's triple. Bramlett brought her home with a two-out single. In the fourth, after Nakita Boyce and Hayle Guess singled, Courtney Bures singled, driving in Boyce.

Iowa State opened the game plating two runs. Fallon Johnson singled and Courtney Wray walked. On the play, Hewett's error allowed Johnson to score for the first run of the game. Alex Johnson then hit a two-out single for an early 2-0 advantage.

Kelli Miller went struck out three in five innings to earn the win. The victory was her 28th of her career, tying her with Kim Davis for sixth all-time in MSU history. MSU out-hit the Cyclones, 13-5, while Iowa State committed five errors.

Jessie Bailey led the Bulldogs, going 2-4 with two runs while driving in two RBI. Bures went 2-4 with a run and two RBI, and Nakita Boyce added two runs and an RBI on 2-4 hitting.

Added Miller, We got down a couple runs, but we came right back and scored quite a few in the second inning and really took control of the game.

Mississippi State returns to action tomorrow for Day Two of the Bulldog Robin continues The Bulldogs will face Kennesaw State (2-0) at 2 p.m. and Iowa State at 4 p.m. Admission is free, and fans can also follow all the action on www.mstateathletics.com