Spain Powers MState Softball To 12-5 Win Over Louisiana-Monroe In Tourney Finale

Sunday, February 8

Starkville

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

3-1

Louisiana-Monroe

2-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mississippi State	1	2	0	0	1	4	4	12	20	2
La.-Monroe	1	0	2	0	0	0	2	5	6	2

Spain Scores Winning Run As Bulldogs Split SEC Twinbill With Auburn; Bramlett Sets Record

Spain Powers MState Softball To 12-5 Win Over Louisiana-Monroe In Tourney Finale

February 08, 2009 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
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STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Sophomore Jessie Spain's career-best three hits and five RBIs helped propel the Mississippi State softball team to the second-most hits in school history and a 12-5 win over Louisiana-Monroe Sunday afternoon in the final game of the season-opening Bulldog Round-Robin. Sunday's victory also moved head coach Jay Miller into a tie for the school's all-time wins record.

Spain's 3-for-5 afternoon helped lead a 20-hit attack that fell just one shy of the single-game record set Mar. 1, 1997, against Alabama State. The Birmingham, Ala., native was one of three Bulldogs with three or more hits on the afternoon. Freshman Ka'ili Smith topped all players with a perfect 4-for-4 afternoon that included three RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

Junior Preseason All-American Chelsea Bramlett bumped her season average to .533 as she went 3-for-5 and matched a career high with three runs scored. Freshman Courtney Moore added a pair of hits and drove in two runs to close out a sensational debut weekend in which she hit .545 (6-for-11) with a double, a triple, seven RBIs and a run scored.

“I thought we bounced back really well after dropping the opening game on Friday. We really hit the ball well throughout the lineup,” Miller said. “We played good defense behind our pitchers, and we hope to continue getting better.”

State moved to 3-1 on the year. After dropping the season-opener, the Bulldogs responded with three straight wins that moved the Bulldogs' seventh-year head coach to 220-165 in Starkville and into a tie with Kathy Arendsen (1997-2002) for the top spot in school history.

State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Bramlett led the game off with a bunt single, stole second and scored on a Moore single through the right side. Moore and Bramlett earned all-tournament honors along with junior third baseman Jessie Bailey, senior pitcher Kelsey Nurnberg and freshman hurler Lindsey Dunlap.

The Warhawks (2-2) answered in the home half of the first as Brianna Love reached on an error and scored three batters later on a Megan Miller single to left-center.

The Bulldogs regained the lead at 3-1 with a pair of runs in the second. Brittany Bell opened the frame with a single through the right side, and she put State back on top as she scored on Jessie Bailey's single. Bailey, who took third when the hit was misplayed in center, scored on a Smith single that deflected off ULM starting pitch Heather Fritz to put MState ahead 3-1.

Fritz gave up three runs on six hits in an inning of work. Kandace Causey suffered the loss to fall to 1-2. Causey worked 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Jessica Chastka tossed the final 1 2/3, surrendering four runs, two earned, on six hits.

Louisiana-Monroe tied the game in the third as Sarah Carriger walked and Katie Girardi hit a two-run home run over the wall in left field off MState starter Misty Flesher.

The Lone Grove, Okla., native gave up the three runs, two earned, on four hits over 2 2/3 innings. Nurnberg picked up her second straight win in relief as she gave up a pair of unearned runs on two hits over the final 4 1/3 innings.

“Kelsey has really embraced pitching in more of a relief type role,” Miller said. “She has the ability to come in and blow it by hitters, and I thought Kelsey did a great job this weekend.”

State took the lead for good in the top of the fifth as Spain led-off with a single to right-center, moved to second on an Ali Bainbridge sacrifice bunt and scored on a Moore double to the wall in right-center.

The Bulldogs expanded the gap with four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. With one out in the sixth, Smith doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Courtney Nesbit's two-bagger. Bramlett followed with a single to second, and Spain cleared the bases with her second career home run.

Bell kicked off MSU's four-run seventh with a single up the middle. Bailey moved her to third with a double, and they both scored on Smith's second double of the afternoon. After Bramlett reached on an error and stole second, Spain closed out the scoring attack with a single to left that scored Smith and Bramlett.

State seeks to give Miller sole possession of the school's all-time wins record Wednesday afternoon when the Bulldogs host Southern Mississippi in a 3 p.m. first pitch at the MSU Softball Field. Admission to all State home softball games is free.

2009 Bulldog Round-Robin All-Tournament Team
Courtney Moore, Mississippi State
Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State
Jessie Bailey, Mississippi State
Kelsey Nurnberg, Mississippi State
Lindsey Dunlap, Mississippi State
Katie Girardi, Louisiana-Monroe
Megan Miller, Louisiana-Monroe
Brianna Love, Louisiana-Monroe
Jessica Cross, Kennesaw State
Jenna Closner, Kennesaw State
Cat Trahan, Kennesaw State
Klair Wells, Kennesaw State
Kayla O'Neill, Iona