Bramlett Single Lifts No. 18 MSU To 3-2 Win Over UMass

Sunday, March 2

Columbus, Ga.

11:30 a.m.

Mississippi State

16-4

UMass

6-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mississippi State	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	7	1
UMass	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	2

Bulldog Softball's Chelsea Bramlett Named Top 25 Finalist For USA Softball Player Of Year

Bramlett Single Lifts No. 18 MSU To 3-2 Win Over UMass

March 02, 2008 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics (vs. Massachusetts)
? Official Statistics (vs. Massachusetts) (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ga. ? Chelsea Bramlett's two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning rallied the 18th-ranked Mississippi State softball team to a 3-2 win over UMass on Sunday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.

The win at the South Commons Complex moved MSU to 16-4 on the year, while UMass fell to 6-9 overall.

Bramlett's game-winning base hit capped a 3-for-4, two-RBI day for the sophomore from Cordova, Tenn. Elizabeth Woolven moved to 3-0 with four and a third solid innings of relief work. The Nettleton, Miss., native picked up her second win of the weekend as she limited the Minutewomen to five hits while striking out five and walking one.

"We had a great team effort today," MSU head coach Jay Miller, who picked up career win No. 900 on Saturday, said. "Elizabeth Woolven did an outstanding job in relief after Misty (Flesher) struggled. Elizabeth shut them down and gave us an opportunity to come back. Our team did a nice job of battling and fighting. The bottom part of the order gave us some big hits in that last inning, and Chelsea came up big once again. This win will help us down the road because UMass is a very good team that makes a regional every year."

Junior Kelsey Nurnberg recorded the final two outs of the seventh to pick up her second save of the season.

Brandice Balschmiter held State to three hits over the first six frames, but suffered the loss to fall to 4-5 after giving up the three seventh-inning runs and allowing seven hits with seven strikeouts.

With one out in the top of the seventh, freshman Ali Bainbridge kicked off the rally with a double down the line in right field. Senior Hayle Guess scored Bainbridge with a single to right field to make it 2-1. After taking second on the throw, Guess moved to third on a fielding error by UMass catcher Jessica Serio.

Courtney Nesbit hit a ground ball to first base, but Guess was thrown out in a very close play at the plate to keep the Minutewomen on top 2-1. The Bulldogs wouldn't be deterred, however, as Jessie Bailey moved Nesbit to second with a single into left field. After pinch-hitter Jessie Spain walked to load the bases, Bramlett lined a single into left to score pinch-runner Megan Bateman and Bailey.

UMass tried one last rally in the home half of the seventh as leadoff hitter Carly Normandin drew a one-out walk, and Stacy Cullington moved her to third with a double to the fence in center field. Nurnberg replaced Woolven, and Samantha Salato, the first hitter she faced, lined a shot back to her which she then threw to third to retire Normandin and clinch the State victory.

The Bulldogs return home Tuesday, taking on UAB in a non-conference match-up set for a 6 p.m. first pitch at the MSU Softball Field. State hosts the Bulldog Classic on the Mississippi State campus this weekend, welcoming Charleston Southern, Louisiana Tech and Austin Peay for the three-day tournament which begins Friday.