Bulldog Softball Claims Pair Of Shutouts, Spot In Bulldog Classic Championship Game

Saturday, February 21

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

8-2

Evansville

2-4

Evansville

Mississippi State

Bulldog Rally Falls Short As Kentucky Wins 8-7 On Walk-Off Home Run

Bulldog Softball Claims Pair Of Shutouts, Spot In Bulldog Classic Championship Game

February 21, 2009 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics (vs. Evansville)
? Official Statistics (vs. Evansville) (PDF)
? Official Statistics (vs. SIU-Edwardsville)
? Official Statistics (vs. SIU-Edwardsville) (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Mississippi State pitchers combined for a pair of shutouts, and sophomore Ali Bainbridge went 4-for-7 and drove in four runs as the Bulldog softball team extended its win streak to six games with 7-0 and 3-0 wins over Evansville and SIU-Edwardsville, respectively, Saturday afternoon at the MSU Softball Field. The pair of wins put State in Sunday's 1 p.m. Bulldog Classic championship game against SIUE.

State improved to 9-2 on the year as freshman Lindsey Dunlap made two first-inning runs stand up with a two-hit shutout in a rainy nightcap against the Cougars (10-2). Dunlap ran her record to 5-0 as she struck out a season-high nine in the complete-game effort. Her five straight victories to begin the year mark the best start by a freshman in school history.

Dunlap's stellar showing in a rainy second game of the twin bill followed up a solid combined effort from Kelsey Nurnberg, who moved to 4-0 on the season, and Elizabeth Woolven in the day's opening game with Evansville (2-4).

“I am proud of our pitchers getting a couple of shutouts. Kelsey threw great in the first game, and Elizabeth did a nice job of closing the game out. Lindsey followed up and pitched an outstanding game in the second game,” MState head coach Jay Miller said.

Bainbridge and junior Jessie Bailey each hit two-run home runs in the opener against the Purple Aces, and junior Chelsea Bramlett was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.

Bramlett sparked State in the day's first game, and the Cordova, Tenn., native provided all the offense State would need in Saturday's finale as she led off the game with a single to right, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored two batters later on a Bainbridge single to center. Bainbridge drove in a run on two hits against SIUE after collecting a pair of hits and matching a career high with three RBI in the day's opener.

After stealing second, Bainbridge scored on a Courtney Moore single, her first of two hits in the game, to put State up 2-0.

“We did a nice job of scoring some runs early, but I thought we could have swung the bats a little better. We missed out on some opportunities in both games, but we came through with some big hits when we needed to,” Miller said. “It was tough battling the elements, but we did a nice job of not letting the rain and the cold affect us.”

The Bulldogs added an additional run in the sixth as Moore led off with a double. With one out, pinch-runner Allie Heon took third on an illegal pitch and scored on a Brittany Bell sacrifice fly to center.

Bainbridge's first-inning home run, combined with a two-run round-tripper from Bailey, sparked State's offense in the opener as Nurnberg and Woolven combined to blank Evansville 7-0 in a game that was delayed 52 minutes by rain.

Bainbridge went 2-for-4 in the game and put State up 2-0 in the first with her second home run of the season, a two-run shot over the wall in left-center that scored Bramlett following a lead-off single.

Nurnberg made the two runs hold up as she surrendered three hits with a strikeout and a walk over five innings. Following the rain delay, Woolven pitched a perfect final two innings to seal the shut-out.

The Bulldogs broke open the 2-0 game with two more runs in the second. Bailey led off with a single and moved to third on Courtney Nesbit's double to the wall in center. Both runners scored on back-to-back sacrifice flies from pinch-hitter Laurie Siebert and Bramlett.

Bainbridge singled home Bramlett in the fifth, and Bailey capped the scoring the next inning as she hit a towering home run over the wall in right-center that brought home freshman Ka'ili Smith after she walked.

Prior to the Bulldogs' 1 p.m. rematch with SIUE, Evansville and Rutgers will meet at 11 a.m. Admission to all MState home softball games is free.