MSU Returns Home For Two Midweek Games
March 24, 2014 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Coming off a nine-game road trip, Mississippi State returns home for the first time since the March 7-9 series versus No. 8 Kentucky with a pair of midweek games. The Bulldogs (23-10) welcome Southeastern Louisiana (9-11) for a 5 p.m. Tuesday contest and Samford (22-8) for a 6 p.m. Wednesday game.
MSU has already collected 21 non-conference victories, four fewer than the 2013 squad totaled. The Bulldogs have eight regular-season non-conference contests remaining.
For Tuesday's game, the concession stand will offer $2 hot dogs and $2 popcorn. Wednesday is Resident Life Night. All students in attendance can receive FREE pizza.
The Wednesday game will also feature a Grand Slam Giveaway. If the Bulldogs hit a grand slam during the game, one lucky fan has the choice of a FREE iPad or flat screen television.
Mississippi State has never faced Southeastern Louisiana, but the Bulldogs have gone 17-12 against all current members of the Southland Conference.
MSU has gone 15-2 against Samford and has suffered just one setback at home, falling 2-0 on April 25, 2000. Since head coach Vann Stuedeman took over, the Bulldogs have won all three meetings by a combined score of 30-9.
In last year's meeting, Mississippi State won 13-1 in five innings on April 16 in Birmingham. Current volunteer assistant coach Jessica Cooley led the offense with a career game, going three-for-three with six runs batted in and two home runs. Jessica Offutt went two-for-three with two RBI and three runs out of the leadoff spot. Kayla Winkfield scored a career-high three runs while Julia Echols drive in a personal-best three runs. Cooley hit a two-run home run in the first to put MSU up 2-0 and a Sam Lenehan two-run double in the second made it a 4-0 lead. Six runs in the third, highlighted by Cooley's second home run of the game put the contest out of reach. Cooley added her fifth and sixth RBI of the game with a two-run single to center field in the fourth inning.
After the midweek contests, Mississippi State continues home action this weekend, welcoming Marshall to town for a noon CT Saturday doubleheader and a noon Sunday single game.
