MSU Softball Hosts No. 22 Auburn For Super Bulldog Weekend
April 07, 2011 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State looks to continue its success at the MSU Softball Field as No. 22 Auburn comes to campus for a three-game SEC Western Division series as part of Super Bulldog Weekend presented by Region's Bank.
The two teams open the series Friday at 5 p.m. Saturday's game is set for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch, and Sunday's finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m start. Admission to all home softball games is free, and audio for each game will be available at www.mstateathletics.com/m2mlive.
It will be a busy weekend at the MSU Softball Field. Mississippi State will honor its alumni prior to Saturday's game, and fans are encouraged to wear pink on Sunday as the Bulldogs help to Strikeout Cancer.
Mississippi State enters the series 19-19 overall and 7-6 in SEC play. The Bulldogs, who are 15-2 at home this season following a series win against Ole Miss, will be trying to bounce back from a tough 14-4 setback to Southern Mississippi Wednesday night during the M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic in Madison.
Auburn split a doubleheader with Mercer Wednesday night to run its record to 30-8. The Tigers are 9-5 in league play after falling twice to Tennessee last weekend.
Head coach Jay Miller, who enters the weekend with 999 career victories, has his team playing at home on Super Bulldog Weekend for the fourth time in five seasons. Mississippi State is 19-8 all-time during the school's annual spring homecoming weekend.
This weekend's series will be the second time this year the Dawgs have faced the 22nd-ranked team in the country. State defeated then-No. 22 Texas A&M 7-3 en route to winning the Bulldog Classic on March 6.
The Maroon and White hold a 26-19 series lead against AU. State has won three of the last four meetings, including a doubleheader sweep last season in Auburn.
Senior Ali Bainbridge paced Mississippi State Wednesday night with her fourth home run of the season as part of a 2-for-2, two-RBI outing. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native boasts the team's top batting average at .392. She has also scored a team-high 38 times while notching 11 doubles, three triples and 13 RBI.
Fellow senior Courtney Nesbit has continued a stellar 2011 campaign, going 5-for-7 with a home run and seven RBI over the past two games. The Acworth, Ga., native, a .333 hitter, leads the Dawgs with eight home runs and 35 RBI.
Sophomore Kylie Vry tops the Bulldogs with seven victories, a 3.78 ERA and 81 strikeouts. The Des Moines, Iowa, native ranks second in the SEC with two saves, one back of the top mark held by junior Misty Flesher. Flesher has won six games and struck out 55.
Auburn brings the SEC's second-lowest ERA (1.73) into the weekend tilt. Angel Bunner's 1.24 tally leads the way. She has won 10 games and struck out 81.
Lauren Schmalz boasts a 12-3 record and a 1.87 ERA. She leads AU with 110 strikeouts.
Offensively, Morgan Estell has been Auburn's leading hitter with a .398 average. She also tops the Tigers with 27 RBI, and her five home runs are tied for tops on the team with Amber Harrison and Kelsey Cartwright.
