MSU Sweeps Day Two Of Bulldog Round-Robin Behind Pitching Of Dunlap, Bailey Grand Slam

Saturday, February 7

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

1-1

Louisiana-Monroe

2-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
La.-Monroe	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	5	0
Mississippi State	0	4	1	0	0	0	X	5	4	0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Iona	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2
Mississippi State	2	3	5	0	X	10	14	0

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

MSU Sweeps Day Two Of Bulldog Round-Robin Behind Pitching Of Dunlap, Bailey Grand Slam

February 07, 2009 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics (vs. Louisiana-Monroe)
? Official Statistics (vs. Louisiana-Monroe) (PDF)
? Official Statistics (vs. Iona)
? Official Statistics (vs. Iona) (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Mississippi State freshman Lindsey Dunlap picked up her first collegiate victory and save, and Jessie Bailey connected on her second career grand slam as Mississippi State swept Louisiana-Monroe and Iona 5-3 and 10-0, respectively, Saturday afternoon at the Bulldog Round-Robin on the State campus.

The two wins move MState to 2-1 on the year and put head coach Jay Miller one victory shy of matching the school's all-time wins total. Iona fell to 0-3 overall, while the Bulldogs handed ULM its first defeat of the campaign.

Dunlap, an EA Sports First Team All-American from Hueytown, Ala., struck out two and walked one over the final 1 2/3 innings top pick up the save as State held off a late Warhawk rally for the 5-3 win. She followed that stellar outing with a three-hit shutout of Iona in the nightcap.

After Louisiana-Monroe struck in the first to take an early 1-0 lead, the Bulldogs responded in the second. Freshman Courtney Moore, who went 3-for-4 and drove in five runs in the two games, was hit by a pitch to lead off the decisive frame. Sophomore Brittany Bell followed with a single, and the pair advanced on sophomore Courtney Nesbit's walk. Bailey then cleared the bases as she lined a shot over the wall in left-center off ULM starter Kandace Causey to put MState on top 4-1.

State extended the advantage to 5-1 the next inning as Jessie Spain hit a lead-off double, moved to third on an Ali Bainbridge ground-out and scored on a Moore sacrifice fly to left.

The Warhawks fought back in the sixth, scoring runs with no outs on a Molly McNeill base hit and an illegal pitch. After a pair of walks loaded the bases with one out, Dunlap struck out Jessica Olguin and got Brianna Love to fly-out to center to end the threat and preserve senior Kelsey Nurnberg's first victory of the year.

Nurnberg, who relieved starter Misty Flesher, allowed a pair of runs on two hits with five strikeouts over three innings.

“I was disappointed in the first game that we let them get back in it late. I thought we swung the bats better in the first game, and we really did a nice job at the plate in the second game,” Miller said. “Lindsay pitched very well in her first collegiate action, and Jessie Bailey had a big hit that ended up being the game-winner. I like the way we're swinging the bats through the line-up. We got the first-game nerves out of the way, and we are getting better as a team.”

Dunlap followed her first save with her inaugural victory in the second game of the twin bill, and against Iona she received the support of all 10 runs in the first three innings.

Junior ESPN Preseason All-American Chelsea Bramlett went 3-for-4 and scored twice in the contest, and Moore accounted for five of State's six runs on a 2-for-3, four-RBI effort. Freshman Brittany Gates was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored against the Gaels, while senior Sammie Jo Bailey collected a pair of hits.

State opened the game with a pair of runs in the first. Bramlett legged out a bunt single to lead-off the game and moved to second on an errant throw. Sophomore Allie Heon moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt, and following a Bainbridge walk and stolen base, Moore delivered a bases-clearing single through the right side.

The Bulldogs pushed the lead to 5-0 with a three-run second that started when Gates and Bramlett both reached on bunt singles. Heon drove the duo in with a line shot to left, and after taking second on the throw home and moving to third on a Bainbridge sacrifice bunt, the Leesburg, Va., native came home on a Moore sacrifice fly to center.

State capped the dominating offensive showing with a five run fifth. Jessie Bailey and Gates started the scoring as they both came home on a pair of wild pitches after reaching on consecutive base hits. Heon drew a one-out walk, and after stealing second, she made it an 8-0 contest as she took third on a wild pitch and scored on an errant throw by Gaels' catcher Melanie Gettins.

Bainbridge followed with a double to the wall in left-center, and Moore scored her with a triple to right-center before coming home herself on a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs close out the opening weekend of the 2009 slate Sunday, taking on Louisiana-Monroe at 1 p.m. Kennesaw State and Iona will meet at 11 a.m. ULM has been declared the tournament champion due to the results of pool play.