Big Bats Lift MSU Softball to Fall Sweep
September 29, 2009 | Softball
• Official Statistics (Game 1) (PDF)
• Official Statistics (Game 2)
• Official Statistics (Game 2) (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Ka'ili Smith drove in eight runs and hit one of Mississippi State's four home runs as the Bulldogs swept Marion Military Institute 17-1 and 16-0 Tuesday evening at the MSU RecPlex.
Smith went 7-for-9 on the day and added three doubles while scoring five runs. Jessie Spain hit a pair of round-trippers on a 5-for-7 afternoon while freshman Jessica Cooley left the yard with one of her five hits.
The Bulldogs got the offense going early, plating eight runs in the opening frame of game one. Junior Brittany Bell and freshman Erin Nesbit collected a pair of RBI singles, and fellow rookie Shelby Fisher capped the frame with a two-run double to the gap in right-center.
The eight-run cushion was plenty of support for MSU freshmen Stephanie Becker and Kylie Vry. Vry picked up the win as she allowed a run on two hits with four strikeouts over the final four innings. Becker tossed a perfect opening three innings, striking out six.
Cooley pushed the MSU lead to 11-0 in the second as she lined a three-run shot over the fence in right field.
The Bulldogs added two more runs in the third on a Bell sacrifice fly and a Smith RBI single to left-center before capping the opening-game scoring with a four-run fourth inning.
Newcomer Chelsea Raines started the inning with a one-out single and moved to third on a Spain double. A double steal plated Raines, and Spain scored from third on a Chelsea Bramlett single to short.
Following a Fisher walk, Smith laced a bases-clearing double that capped the opening-game scoring.
State's offense continued to roll in the second game, putting up four runs in the home half of the first. Bramlett led off the game with an infield hit, and after stealing second and taking third on a Fisher infield hit, the three-time all-American scored on a Bell fielder's choice.
Smith followed with a base hit through the right side that scored Bell, and she moved to third on a double from Nesbit. Cooley then capped the four-run frame with a two-RBI base hit to center field.
The Bulldogs extended the lead for pitchers Misty Flesher and Lindsey Dunlap in the third as Bell lined a two-run double before coming home on Smith's round-tripper.
Flesher allowed three hits and struck out four in the opening 2.1 innings. Dunlap earned the victory in game two as she held MMI to a hit and struck out 10 over the final 4.2 innings.
The Dawgs followed the two-run third with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Spain led off the inning with a solo home run, and Bramlett added the second score as she reached on an infield single, took third on a Bell double and scored on a Smith ground-out.
Already leading 8-0, State capped the twin bill with an eight-run fifth inning. Spain's second home run in as many at-bats, and a pair of Cooley triples, highlighted the inning. Smith and Nesbit also added RBI doubles in the frame.
The Bulldogs host West Alabama and Shelton State on Oct. 4 before wrapping up the spring with the annual Alumni Game on Oct. 11.
