Bulldog Softball Heads to Georgia for Phyllis Rafter Memorial
February 24, 2011 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Following a 4-1 opening to the 2011 home slate, the Mississippi State softball team returns to the road this weekend as it ventures to Woodstock, Ga., for the Phyllis Rafter Memorial, hosted by Kennesaw State.
The Bulldogs open play Friday, taking on Bowling Green and Mercer at Noon and 2:30 p.m. CT, respectively. State challenges Georgia State (Noon) and the host Owls (2:30 p.m.) on Saturday before closing the weekend against Purdue at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Mississippi State takes a 5-5 record to the Twin Creeks Softball Complex following Wednesday's 6-4 win against Southern Mississippi at the MSU Softball Field.
Freshman Heidi Shape, a Duluth native who will be returning to her home state for the first time, was the hero against USM, hitting her third home run of the season in the sixth inning to put MSU ahead for good.
Shape, a .313 hitter, leads the team with 16 RBI. Her three home runs and trio of doubles are also tops on the squad.
Another Georgia product, senior Courtney Nesbit, has also enjoyed a stellar season for the Dawgs. Hitting .382 so far, Nesbit has tallied 28 bases, the most by a Bulldog through the first 10 games since 2006, behind three doubles, three triples and two home runs. She also has nine RBI to her credit.
Two other Bulldogs - freshman Sam Lenahan and sophomore Erin Nesbit - also hail from Georgia. Lenahan has hit .364 this season and tied Shape for the home run lead with three. Lenahan hit a pinch-hit, walk-off home run last Saturday as State rallied to defeat Southern Illinois in the Bulldog Round-Robin.
Sophomore Kylie Vry has paced the Dawgs in the circle. The Des Moines, Iowa, native picked up her second victory of the year on Wednesday. She has compiled a 2.53 ERA through 27.2 innings and struck out a team-high 18.
Misty Flesher drew the start against USM. The Lone Grove, Okla., junior boasts a 1-0 record and a save so far this season. She has K'd 16 over 25.2 innings of work.
Following this weekend's action, the Dawgs head to UAB on Tuesday before hosting Memphis, Mississippi Valley State and Texas A&M in the March 4-6 Bulldog Classic.
