No. 21 MSU Softball Rallies In Second Game To Sweep First Two Games From Mississippi

Friday, March 21

Oxford, Miss.

3:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

24-9, 0

Ole Miss (DH-1)

15-13, 0

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

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

No. 21 MSU Softball Rallies In Second Game To Sweep First Two Games From Mississippi

March 21, 2008 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics (Game 1)
? Official Statistics (Game 1) (PDF)
? Official Statistics (Game 2)
? Official Statistics (Game 2) (PDF)

OXFORD, Miss. ? Senior Nakita Boyce's seventh-inning base hit rallied No. 21 Mississippi State from a two-run deficit as the Bulldogs swept Mississippi 5-3 and 3-2 Friday afternoon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex in Oxford, Miss.

Tied 2-2 entering the top half of the seventh inning, Hayle Guess led off with a single and advanced to second on Lindsay Hunley's perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt. With two away in the inning, Boyce dropped a single into left field that allowed Guess to score and put MSU on top 3-2.

Kelsey Nurnberg set the Rebels down in order in the final half inning to give State the sweep. The come-from-behind win moves State to 25-9 overall and 3-5 in Southeastern Conference play.

Nurnberg extended her record to 13-5 on the year as she allowed the two runs on nine hits while striking out three in the complete-game effort.

After an Ashley Dowdy two-run home run over the wall in center to put UM up 2-0, State knotted the game at two runs apiece with a big sixth inning off UM starter Tara Willitt (5-6). Boyce and Bramlett each singled to lead-off the frame. Freshman Ali Bainbridge moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and with two outs, Bailey lined a single to left-center that scored the pair to tie the game.

"Other than three pitches, we got great pitching all day," State head coach Jay Miller, who claimed his 200th victory as the Bulldogs head coach with the game one win, said. "The kids did a great job of battling at the plate in the second game. (Tara) Willitt threw well, but we kept going after her. Lindsay Hunley executed really well to move Hayle into scoring position. Nakita came up with a big hit, and Sammie Jo had a huge two-out hit with runners at second and third."

Bailey was one of three Bulldogs to collect a pair of hits in the game. Boyce also went 2-for-3 in the contest while Bramlett posted a 2-for-4 plate performance for the second consecutive contest.

Courtney Bures went 3-for-4 and sparked a three-run first inning as the Bulldogs opened the doubleheader with a 5-3 victory over their in-state rival. Bramlett added a pair of hits and scored a clutch run in the top of the seventh inning, while freshman Courtney Nesbit added two hits in the series opener.

"We did a nice job of putting runs on the scoreboard early," Miller said. "We stayed after them and picked up two good wins. Hopefully we can finish strong Saturday."

Misty Flesher jumped her record to 9-5 on the year as she allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts in five and a third innings. Elizabeth Woolven notched her team-leading fourth save as she hurled the final inning and two-thirds, giving up one run and hit on a Randi Green pinch-hit home run and a strikeout.

State kicked off its three-run first on Bainbridge's one-out single into center field. She scored when Bures singled to center and the ball went under the glove of UM centerfielder Courtnie Ghinaudo. Bailey followed with a double that scored Bures to put State on top 3-0.

MSU expanded the lead to 4-0 with a run in the top half of the third inning. Bures doubled on a high chopper that went over the leaping Rebel third baseman Lauren Grill. After moving to third on a Bailey ground-out, Spain plated her with a ground ball to second.

The Rebels cut the MState lead in half in the bottom of the fifth as Aly Presswood drew a two-out walk and Alyssa McGovern hit a two-run home run over the wall in left field.

UM got a pair of hits in the home half of the sixth to put the tying run on first base, but Woolven got a double play, State's 15th of the season, to get out of the jam.

The Bulldogs took advantage in the top of the seventh and extended the lead to three as Chelsea Bramlett singled, stole second and scored on Bainbridge's sacrifice bunt that was thrown by Nye over the head of the Rebel first baseman.

The insurance run proved clutch as Green hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to cut the State lead to 5-3. Woolven got McGovern to ground-out to seal the MSU victory.

The Bulldogs will go for the SEC series sweep Saturday in a game set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. The series finale will be televised live by Fox Sports South.