Friday, February 11
Las Vegas, Nev.
11:00 AM
Mississippi State
0-1
4
vs
5
Illinois-Chicago
1-0
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Mississippi State
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
7
1
Illinois-Chicago
0
1
0
0
4
0
X
5
8
0
Shape Homers Twice as Bulldogs Suffer Pair of One-Run Setbacks
February 12, 2011 | Softball
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Freshman Heidi Shape belted a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, in her collegiate debut, but Mississippi State opened the season with a 5-4 loss to Illinois-Chicago and a 10-9, nine-inning setback to UNLV Friday at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas.
With her two round-trippers, Shape finished the day with seven RBI. Shape's two home runs were part of five round-trippers on the day for head coach Jay Miller's squad.
“I hope Heidi can keep up that kind of production,” Miller said. “She has done a great job for us. Two one-run losses are tough, but I saw some good things and hopefully we can correct some of our mistakes and get back on the winning track.”
Senior Ali Bainbridge hit her first of the season against UIC, while rookie Sam Lenahan and senior Chelsea Raines each left the yard against the host Rebels.
“I thought we hit the ball well, but we beat ourselves today. We made some defensive mistakes in both games. I thought we pitched the ball well at times while not pitching it as well at other times,” Miller said. “We need to get a little more consistent, but hitting five home runs in two games is a good start. Hopefully we can continue that kind of production.”
In the opener, UIC (1-0) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but the Bulldogs answered with four runs in the top of the third on back-to-back home runs from Shape and Bainbridge.
Erin Nesbit opened the frame with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Brittany Gates. Brittany Bell drew a walk, and Shape blasted the first pitch she saw just inside the left field foul pole.
Bainbridge followed and hit a towering shot that deflected off the light pole in right-center, putting State ahead 4-1. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native capped a two-hit effort with a triple.
The Bulldogs maintained the advantage until UIC's decisive fifth. Kelsey Sturgeon walked to open the frame and took second on a sacrifice bunt. Following a ground-out for the second out, Melinda Macias cut the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single.
Consecutive singles loaded the bases, bringing Misty Flesher in relief of State starter Kylie Vry. Macias made it a 4-3 game as she scored when Erin Nesbit's throw to home pulled freshman Sam Lenahan off the plate.
Marsalli gave UIC the lead back as she dropped a single just past the out-stretched glove of Courtney Nesbit at first base to plate a pair of runs. Nesbit also collected two hits in the game.
MSU had a chance to tie the game in each of the final two innings. Lenahan opened the sixth with a double and moved to third on a Chelsea Raines ground-out. A pair of ground ball outs, however, ended the threat.
Bainbridge struck with a one-out triple in the seventh, but she was left stranded as UIC reliever Devin Miller got a strikeout and line-out to earn the save.
Vry suffered the loss as she allowed five runs, two earned, with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings of work. Flesher surrendered three hits over 1.1 frames.
Ashley Hewitt picked up the victory for the Flames. She gave up four runs and six hits with two strikeouts and six walks over five innings. Miller held State to a hit over the final two innings.
UNLV took a 1-0 advantage in game two, scoring a run in its first at-bat. The Bulldogs answered in the top of the second, however, as Lenahan belted her first collegiate home run, a towering solo shot to centerfield that cleared both fences at Eller Media Stadium, to knot the game at a run apiece.
The Rebels took the lead with six runs in the home half of the inning. Jaexie Balilea had the decisive blow of the inning, belting a grand slam that cleared the fence just inside the left-field foul pole.
State kept battling, however, and junior Ka'ili Smith hit a base hit up the middle in the top of the third that scored sophomore Shelby Fisher and cut the lead to 7-3.
Raines made it a 7-4 contest in the fourth as she blasted a two-run home run, the first of her career, to right that scored Lenahan.
The Bulldogs utilized the long ball again in the fifth to take the lead. Back-to-back base hits by Shelby Fisher and Bainbridge opened the inning, and Courtney Nesbit drew a walk to load the bases.
Shape the put State on top 8-7 as she hit her second home run of the day, a grand slam, over the centerfield wall.
Flesher stifled the Rebels' bats until the seventh when Rayna Bradshaw tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ashli Holland to send the game into extra innings.
The Bulldogs struck first in the extra frame. Courtney Nesbit took third on a sacrifice bunt from Shape and scored when she beat the throw home on a Lenahan ground ball.
UNLV sent the game to the ninth, however, as a Pauline Monreal grounder allowed Paige Emerson to cross home off Vry, who relieved Flesher.
Bell opened the ninth by moving Erin Nesbit to third with the lead run. Shelby Fisher followed with a ground ball to second, but Nesbit was thrown out to keep the game knotted at nine runs apiece.
Bainbridge kept the inning alive as she delivered a single that moved Fisher to third. A ground-out, however, stranded both Bulldogs in scoring position and set up UNLV's decisive at-bat.
With Elena Fata at second base, Samantha Henry singled down the right field line, but Bell fired a strike to Lenahan at home in time to retire Fata. Stefany Valentino reached on a fielder's choice, and after taking second on a wild pitch from Vry, scored as Holland lined the walk-off hit off the wall in right field.
Vry fell to 0-2 as she allowed a run on three hits in 1.2 innings of relief work. Flesher surrendered three runs (one earned) and struck out three over 5.2 innings. She relieved starter Stephanie Becker who was touched for six runs (four earned) and five hits in 1.1 innings.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday, opening the day against No. 11 Washington at 11 a.m. CT before facing UC Riverside at 1:15 p.m. to close the twinbill.
Illinois-Chicago 5, Mississippi State 4 (Feb 11, 2011 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi State... 004 000 0 - 4 7 1 (0-1)
Illinois-Chicago.... 010 040 X - 5 8 0 (1-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Mississippi State - Kylie Vry; Misty Flesher(5) and Samantha Lenahan.
Illinois-Chicago - Ashley Hewett; Devin Miller(6) and Teresa Aguilar.
Win-Ashley Hewett(1-0) Save-Devin Miller(1) Loss-Kylie Vry(0-1) T-2:02 A-0
HR MS - Heidi Shape; Ali Bainbridge.
HEWETT faced 1 batter in the 6th.
UNLV 10, Mississippi State 9 (Feb 11, 2011 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi State... 011 240 010 - 9 10 3 (0-2)
UNLV................ 160 000 111 - 10 13 1 (1-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Mississippi State - Stephanie Becker; Misty Flesher(2); Kylie Vry(8) and
Samantha Lenahan. UNLV - O'CONNOR, Jessica; WAGNER, Kylie(4); OLIVETO, Amanda(5) and
HENRY, Samantha.
Win-OLIVETO, Amanda(1-0) Loss-Kylie Vry(0-2) T-3:07 A-0
HR MS - Heidi Shape; Samantha Lenahan; Chelsea Raines.
HR LV - BALILEA, Jaexie.
With her two round-trippers, Shape finished the day with seven RBI. Shape's two home runs were part of five round-trippers on the day for head coach Jay Miller's squad.
“I hope Heidi can keep up that kind of production,” Miller said. “She has done a great job for us. Two one-run losses are tough, but I saw some good things and hopefully we can correct some of our mistakes and get back on the winning track.”
Senior Ali Bainbridge hit her first of the season against UIC, while rookie Sam Lenahan and senior Chelsea Raines each left the yard against the host Rebels.
“I thought we hit the ball well, but we beat ourselves today. We made some defensive mistakes in both games. I thought we pitched the ball well at times while not pitching it as well at other times,” Miller said. “We need to get a little more consistent, but hitting five home runs in two games is a good start. Hopefully we can continue that kind of production.”
In the opener, UIC (1-0) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but the Bulldogs answered with four runs in the top of the third on back-to-back home runs from Shape and Bainbridge.
Erin Nesbit opened the frame with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Brittany Gates. Brittany Bell drew a walk, and Shape blasted the first pitch she saw just inside the left field foul pole.
Bainbridge followed and hit a towering shot that deflected off the light pole in right-center, putting State ahead 4-1. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native capped a two-hit effort with a triple.
The Bulldogs maintained the advantage until UIC's decisive fifth. Kelsey Sturgeon walked to open the frame and took second on a sacrifice bunt. Following a ground-out for the second out, Melinda Macias cut the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single.
Consecutive singles loaded the bases, bringing Misty Flesher in relief of State starter Kylie Vry. Macias made it a 4-3 game as she scored when Erin Nesbit's throw to home pulled freshman Sam Lenahan off the plate.
Marsalli gave UIC the lead back as she dropped a single just past the out-stretched glove of Courtney Nesbit at first base to plate a pair of runs. Nesbit also collected two hits in the game.
MSU had a chance to tie the game in each of the final two innings. Lenahan opened the sixth with a double and moved to third on a Chelsea Raines ground-out. A pair of ground ball outs, however, ended the threat.
Bainbridge struck with a one-out triple in the seventh, but she was left stranded as UIC reliever Devin Miller got a strikeout and line-out to earn the save.
Vry suffered the loss as she allowed five runs, two earned, with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings of work. Flesher surrendered three hits over 1.1 frames.
Ashley Hewitt picked up the victory for the Flames. She gave up four runs and six hits with two strikeouts and six walks over five innings. Miller held State to a hit over the final two innings.
UNLV took a 1-0 advantage in game two, scoring a run in its first at-bat. The Bulldogs answered in the top of the second, however, as Lenahan belted her first collegiate home run, a towering solo shot to centerfield that cleared both fences at Eller Media Stadium, to knot the game at a run apiece.
The Rebels took the lead with six runs in the home half of the inning. Jaexie Balilea had the decisive blow of the inning, belting a grand slam that cleared the fence just inside the left-field foul pole.
State kept battling, however, and junior Ka'ili Smith hit a base hit up the middle in the top of the third that scored sophomore Shelby Fisher and cut the lead to 7-3.
Raines made it a 7-4 contest in the fourth as she blasted a two-run home run, the first of her career, to right that scored Lenahan.
The Bulldogs utilized the long ball again in the fifth to take the lead. Back-to-back base hits by Shelby Fisher and Bainbridge opened the inning, and Courtney Nesbit drew a walk to load the bases.
Shape the put State on top 8-7 as she hit her second home run of the day, a grand slam, over the centerfield wall.
Flesher stifled the Rebels' bats until the seventh when Rayna Bradshaw tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ashli Holland to send the game into extra innings.
The Bulldogs struck first in the extra frame. Courtney Nesbit took third on a sacrifice bunt from Shape and scored when she beat the throw home on a Lenahan ground ball.
UNLV sent the game to the ninth, however, as a Pauline Monreal grounder allowed Paige Emerson to cross home off Vry, who relieved Flesher.
Bell opened the ninth by moving Erin Nesbit to third with the lead run. Shelby Fisher followed with a ground ball to second, but Nesbit was thrown out to keep the game knotted at nine runs apiece.
Bainbridge kept the inning alive as she delivered a single that moved Fisher to third. A ground-out, however, stranded both Bulldogs in scoring position and set up UNLV's decisive at-bat.
With Elena Fata at second base, Samantha Henry singled down the right field line, but Bell fired a strike to Lenahan at home in time to retire Fata. Stefany Valentino reached on a fielder's choice, and after taking second on a wild pitch from Vry, scored as Holland lined the walk-off hit off the wall in right field.
Vry fell to 0-2 as she allowed a run on three hits in 1.2 innings of relief work. Flesher surrendered three runs (one earned) and struck out three over 5.2 innings. She relieved starter Stephanie Becker who was touched for six runs (four earned) and five hits in 1.1 innings.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday, opening the day against No. 11 Washington at 11 a.m. CT before facing UC Riverside at 1:15 p.m. to close the twinbill.
Illinois-Chicago 5, Mississippi State 4 (Feb 11, 2011 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi State... 004 000 0 - 4 7 1 (0-1)
Illinois-Chicago.... 010 040 X - 5 8 0 (1-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Mississippi State - Kylie Vry; Misty Flesher(5) and Samantha Lenahan.
Illinois-Chicago - Ashley Hewett; Devin Miller(6) and Teresa Aguilar.
Win-Ashley Hewett(1-0) Save-Devin Miller(1) Loss-Kylie Vry(0-1) T-2:02 A-0
HR MS - Heidi Shape; Ali Bainbridge.
HEWETT faced 1 batter in the 6th.
UNLV 10, Mississippi State 9 (Feb 11, 2011 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi State... 011 240 010 - 9 10 3 (0-2)
UNLV................ 160 000 111 - 10 13 1 (1-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Mississippi State - Stephanie Becker; Misty Flesher(2); Kylie Vry(8) and
Samantha Lenahan. UNLV - O'CONNOR, Jessica; WAGNER, Kylie(4); OLIVETO, Amanda(5) and
HENRY, Samantha.
Win-OLIVETO, Amanda(1-0) Loss-Kylie Vry(0-2) T-3:07 A-0
HR MS - Heidi Shape; Samantha Lenahan; Chelsea Raines.
HR LV - BALILEA, Jaexie.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ashley Hewett (1-0)
L: Vry, Kylie (0-1)
S: Devin Miller (1)
Batting:
2B: Lenahan, Sam 1
3B: Bainbridge, Ali 1
HR: Shape, Heidi 1 ; Bainbridge, Ali 1
RBI: Shape, Heidi 3 ; Bainbridge, Ali 1
SH: Gates, Brittany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bell, Brittany 1 ; Shape, Heidi 1 ; Bainbridge, Ali 1 ; Nesbit, Erin 1
CS: Bell, Brittany 1
Batting:
2B: Jenna Marsalli 1
RBI: Melinda Macias 1 ; Jenna Marsalli 2 ; Coryn Schmit 1
SH: Natalie Hernandez 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melinda Macias 1 ; Carly Demarco 1 ; Shannon Kehr 1 ; Kara Komp 1 ; Melissa Preish 1
HBP: Melinda Macias 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
2B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball1B/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF/C
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF/C
/ Softball
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