No. 25 MState Softball Takes Eight-Game Win Streak To NFCA Leadoff Classic
February 26, 2009 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ? The 25th-ranked Mississippi State softball team takes an eight-game win streak to Columbus, Ga., this weekend to meet five NCAA Tournament teams from 2008 in the 2009 NFCA Leadoff Classic.
The Bulldogs, who improved to 11-2 with a 10-4 win at Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday, open the weekend Friday against No. 20 Ohio State at 10 a.m. CST and Long Island at 3 p.m. CST. MState plays another twin bill on Saturday, facing No. 17 Massachusetts at 3 p.m. CST and Hofstra at 5:30 p.m. CST. State closes the weekend's action on Sunday against sixth-ranked Michigan in a game set for an 11:30 a.m. CST first pitch.
MState will be making its third-straight trip to the NFCA Leadoff Classic and fifth overall appearance. The Bulldogs went 3-2 last season at South Commons, moving their record to 10-10 all-time in the round-robin tournament.
The Bulldogs make the trek to Columbus hitting .320 as a team. State is out-scoring opponents by 40 runs, and the Bulldogs have stolen 31 of 35 bases on the campaign.
Chelsea Bramlett collected three hits on Wednesday to raise her average to an SEC second-best .525. The Cordova, Tenn., native leads the squad with 17 runs scored, and she tops the conference with 20 stolen bases.
The MSU bats put on a power display in Wednesday's win in Itta Bena, hitting three home runs, including two in a decisive eight-run third. Ali Bainbridge hit her team-leading third home run of the season in the first inning. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native heads into the weekend hitting .395 with 14 RBI and seven runs scored.
Freshman Courtney Moore added her first-career home run during the mid-week. The El Sobrante, Calif., standout is hitting .350 with two doubles, a triple and a team-high 15 RBI.
Senior Kelsey Nurnberg added her team-leading sixth win against the Delta Devilettes. Nurnberg, an Ankeny, Iowa, native, has struck out 29 and allowed 10 runs, seven earned, on 30 hits over 36 1/3 innings. Nurnberg has compiled a 1.35 ERA during her 6-0 start.
Freshman Lindsey Dunlap has opened her rookie season with five-straight victories, the most consecutive season-opening wins by a Bulldog freshman. The Hueytown, Ala., product has tallied a team-leading 1.15 ERA, giving up six runs on 23 hits in 36 2/3 innings. She also leads the squad in strikeouts (32) and saves (3).
