Mississippi State
24-32
#4 Alabama
46-7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | X | 5 | 9 | 1 |
MSU Wraps Season With Tough 5-1 Loss To No. 4 Alabama In SEC Tourney
May 12, 2011 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman All-SEC selection Sam Lenahan hit an RBI single as Mississippi State saw its season come to an end with a heartbreaking 5-1 setback to No.4 Alabama in Thursday night's quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Oxford.
The Bulldogs finish the season 24-32 overall and 10-18 in SEC play. Alabama improved to 45-7 and 19-6 in the league as it advanced to play Georgia in Friday's semifinal.
"It was a frustrating season overall with all of the injuries that forced us to shift our lineup around. It took us a while to get settled down, but once we did we started playing better softball later in the year," Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller said. "I was pleased with the way this team fought and got us back to the SEC Tournament. We just didn't get the job done early in the year to get that NCAA Tournament bid, but hopefully that's something we can take care of next year."
Senior Ali Bainbridge collected Mississippi State's other hit in the game. The single, which came in her final collegiate at-bat, put her at 200 hits for her illustrious MSU career.
Mississippi State had a chance to take the lead in the top of the first. UA starter Kelsi Dunne issued walks to Ali Bainbridge, Heidi Shape and Sam Lenahan, but the Dawgs were unable to get any runs across.
"We had some opportunities to get to Dunne when she wasn't sharp in the early innings. We had the bases loaded one inning and runners on in another, but we couldn't take advantage," Miller said. "I thought our team fought really hard, and Sam came through with a big base hit to give us the lead. We just couldn't hold it, and give credit to Dunne because she showed why she is the SEC Pitcher of the Year."
Alabama threatened in the bottom of the inning behind a pair of bunt singles from Kayla Braud and Jennifer Fenton. Bulldog starter Stephanie Becker avoided any damage as she got a pair of infield pop-ups and a ground ball to first to end the inning.
Becker was saddled with the loss to finish the season 7-11. She allowed five runs and nine hits while striking out four in the complete-game effort.
Dunne also went the distance for UA, allowing a run and two hits while striking out 10 to improve to 24-3.
After failing to capitalize on the first-inning opportunity, the Bulldogs got another chance in the top of the third and made it count. Ka'ili Smith reached on a fielder's choice to spark the frame. Senior Courtney Nesbit followed with a walk, and Lenahan punched State's first hit of the game into center field to plate Smith with the game's first run.
Alabama tied the game in the bottom of the fourth behind a Whitney Larsen leadoff double. Two batters later, Jackie Traina walked, and a wild pitch advanced the pair. Larsen scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Jazlyn Lunceford.
Larsen struck again in the fifth, giving Alabama its first lead with a two-out home run. Becker retired the first two hitters she faced in the inning before back-to-back singles put Braud and Fenton on base. Larsen then put Alabama ahead 4-1 as her home run to center field went just beyond the leaping glove of MSU outfielder Brittany Gates.
Lunceford scored Alabama's final run as she tripled off the top of the wall in center field to open the sixth before coming home on a Kaila Hunt sacrifice fly.Alabama 5, Mississippi State 1 (May 12, 2011 at Oxford, Miss.)
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Mississippi State... 001 000 0 - 1 2 1 (24-32)
Alabama............. 000 131 X - 5 9 1 (46-7)
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Pitchers: Mississippi State - Stephanie Becker and Sam Lenahan. Alabama - Kelsi Dunne and
Kendall Dawson.
Win-Kelsi Dunne(24-3) Loss-Stephanie Becker(7-11) T- A-1080
HR UA - Whitney Larsen (12).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kelsi Dunne (24-3)
L: Becker, Stephanie (7-11)
Batting:
RBI: Lenahan, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Ka'ili 1
HBP: Shape, Heidi 1
Batting:
2B: Whitney Larsen 1
3B: Jazlyn Lunceford 1
HR: Whitney Larsen 1
RBI: Whitney Larsen 3 ; Jazlyn Lunceford 1 ; Kaila Hunt 1
SF: Jazlyn Lunceford 1 ; Kaila Hunt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kayla Braud 1 ; Jennifer Fenton 1 ; Whitney Larsen 2 ; Jazlyn Lunceford 1
CS: Kayla Braud 1
