Bulldogs Host South Carolina in Wednesday Twinbill to Open SEC Play
March 08, 2011 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State looks to take the momentum of winning last weekend's Bulldog Classic championship into Southeastern Conference softball play as the Bulldogs host South Carolina Wednesday afternoon in a 4 p.m. doubleheader to open the league slate.
Admission to all games at the MSU Softball Field is free, and a free audio stream for all of State's league games will be available at www.mstateathletics.com/m2mlive.
The Bulldogs defeated No. 22 Texas A&M and Mississippi Valley State to win the rain-soaked Bulldog Classic and improve to 8-10 on the year.
Senior Ali Bainbridge had a phenomenal weekend at the plate for State, hitting .600 against Texas A&M and MVSU to earn Bulldog Classic MVP honors. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native opens her final season of SEC action leading Mississippi State with a .352 batting average, six doubles and 17 runs scored.
Fellow senior Courtney Nesbit has also continued a stellar final campaign in the Maroon & White. The Acworth, Ga., native rates second on the squad with a .351 average, and she has belted a team-leading three triples and five home runs while falling one RBI shy of freshman Heidi Shape for the top spot on the team.
Sophomore Kylie Vry and junior Misty Flesher were dominant in the circle last weekend to earn spots on the Bulldog Classic all-tournament team. Vry struck out a career-high 12, the most by an MSU pitcher since 2006, against the Aggies in picking up her third win of the season.
The Des Moines, Iowa, native has tossed 56.2 innings this season, compiling a 2.72 earned-run average while striking out a team-high 45.
Flesher notched her second save of the season against Texas A&M before picking up the win in relief against Mississippi Valley State. The Lone Grove, Okla., native owns a 2-1 record this season and has struck out 26.
South Carolina comes to Starkville holding a slim 23-22 lead in the series. The Bulldogs have dominated the series recently, however, winning 14 of the last 17 meetings.
This year's Gamecocks squad, under the direction of first-year head coach Beverly Smith, comes to Starkville with a 13-5 overall record.
Lauren Lackey's .366 average leads a USC squad that is hitting .315 as a unit. Laura Mendes, a .340 batter, tops the Gamecocks with 15 RBI and is tied for the team lead with two home runs.
In the circle, Julie Sarratt has collected a 4-1 record and 1.89 ERA while registering 32 strikeouts. Audrey Broyles has tossed 29 innings, amassing a 1.93 ERA and 23 K's.
