Bulldogs Head To California For Bayer Cropscience Classic
March 11, 2010 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State softball team opens a 13-game road trip this weekend when it travels to Fresno, Calif., for the Bayer Cropscience Classic.
The Dawgs open play on Friday, challenging Colorado State at 6:30 p.m. CT. State will meet Georgetown and East Tennessee State at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday before closing the tournament with an 11 a.m. meeting with Cal State Northridge and a 4 p.m. showdown with host Fresno State on Sunday.
State makes the cross-country trek sitting at 14-8 overall, 1-2 in SEC play following a midweek series setback to No. 19 Tennessee.
Senior Chelsea Bramlett collected five hits in the three-game series with Tennessee to maintain a team-best .500 average on the year and extend her hit streak to a career-long 19 games. The Preseason All-SEC candidate has tallied two doubles, a triple, five RBI and 24 runs scored. She's also 22-for-22 in stolen bases this season, giving her a school third-most 30-consecutive steals going back to 2009.
Sophomore Ka'ili Smith boasts a .418 average on the year. She is also tied with senior Jessie Bailey for the team doubles lead with five while topping the squad in home runs (4) and RBI (22).
State has split time in the circle this season between redshirt sophomore Misty Flesher and freshmen Kylie Vry and Stephanie Becker. Flesher picked up the win in Tuesday night's 5-4 win over Tennessee to improve her record to 5-2 on the year. The Lone Grove, Okla., native has tossed a team-high 53.1 innings while tying Vry for the strikeout lead with 32.
Vry has a 4-3 record so far in her rookie campaign. The Des Moines, Iowa, native has hurled 47.0 innings, giving up 30 runs and 44 hits. Becker boasts the top ERA on the squad with a 2.29 mark. The Aurora, Ill., standout sits at 3-2 on the year and tops MSU with a pair of saves. She has struck-out 20 in 33.2 innings of work.
Colorado State boasts a 12-7 record this season behind the .491 hitting of Rebecca Penland. Penland has tallied nine doubles, two home runs and 23 RBI. The CSU pitching staff has been touched for a 3.72 ERA this season. Kelli Eubanks has won eight games this season for the Rams while registering a 3.33 ERA and 78 strikeouts.
Georgetown makes the trip to Fresno 6-7 and hitting .275 as a unit. Mackensey Carter leads the way with a .342 average. Kristi Preuss, a .294 batter, paces the Hoyas with seven RBI and two home runs. In the circle, Jennifer Connell has won three games while boasting a 1.75 earned-run average.
East Tennessee State (8-9) is batting at a .250 clip this season. Cheniece Cason leads the Buccaneers with a .327 average and four triples. Arielle Garner and Lucy Schneider have driven in a team-high nine runs each. Jessica Duncan's 5-2 record and 2.09 ERA tops an ETSU pitching staff that has been touched for 76 runs (57 earned) so far this season.
State and Cal State Northridge will be meeting in California for the second time in three seasons. The Bulldogs won the inaugural meeting, a 4-2 win at the 2008 Cathedral City Kickoff. The 2010 Matadors are 7-12 so far this season and hitting .249 as a team. Jennifer Mosier's .341 average paces CSUN. She has hit two home runs and driven in six runs. The Matadors' hurlers have been struck for a 4.52 ERA this season. Amanda Pitzenberger has won five games on the year while tallying a 2.78 ERA.
Fresno State welcomes the tournament field sitting at 11-8 after splitting a Wednesday night doubleheader with East Carolina. Morgan Melloh collected her 1,000th career strikeout in the nightcap of the doubleheader as she improved to 7-5 with a 2.83 ERA and 106 K's. Offensively, Michelle Moses tops the Bulldogs with three home runs and 14 RBI while hitting .224. Caitlin Stiglich and Jody Badorine lead the way with .372 and .339 averages, respectively.
