Mississippi State
38-20
Texas
34-21
Bulldogs Fall To Texas 1-0
May 16, 2014 | Softball
LAFAYETTE, La. – A two-out home run from Brejae Washington in the bottom of the third provided the only offense Texas would need in defeating Mississippi State 1-0 on Friday in the opener of the NCAA Tournament Lafayette Regional at Lamson Park.
The Bulldogs (38-20) picked up just four hits, with junior Julia Echols recording two, as the Longhorns' Tiarra Davis tossed the complete game shutout. MSU had the tying run on second base in the top of the seventh, but could not even the game.
Senior Alison Owen (18-12) suffered the tough-luck loss, throwing four innings and scattering four hits. She walked two and struck out five. Freshman Alexis Silkwood came in for the remaining two innings and limited the Longhorns to a walk and she struck out one. Davis (19-12) fanned seven, walked one and hit another in the performance.
MSU threatened immediately in the top of the first, but could not convert. Echols led off with a double to right center before a lineout, pop out and strikeout left her stranded.
Texas (34-21) mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the second and was held off the scoreboard. With two outs, Davis reached on a fielding error. Mandy Ogle checked her swing, but hit the ball and it rolled between Owen and senior first baseman Logan Foulks for a single. Senior second baseman Heidi Shape picked up the loose ball and caught Davis in a rundown that ended the inning as sophomore shortstop Kayla Winkfield applied the tag.
Echols reached again in the top of the third, getting hit by a pitch with one out, but was left on base after a fly out and strikeout.
In the bottom of the frame, Texas took a 1-0 lead with a two-out homer from Washington. Lindsey Stephens followed with a double off the wall in right and Taylor Thom walked. With Devon Tunning at the plate, Stephens was picked off second to close the inning.
The Bulldogs recorded their second hit of the contest in the top of the fourth with a one-out double from Foulks on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. Junior Ashley Phillips entered to run at second for Foulks. Davis again settled down and ended the frame with a strikeout and fly out.
In the top of the fifth, Echols tried to provide another spark to the offense with a two-out single, but Davis recorded an inning-closing groundout.
After going down in order in the sixth, MSU got its leadoff batter on in the seventh but could not even the score. Freshman Katie Anne Bailey singled through the left side to open the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Davis ended the game with a pair of strikeouts.
Mississippi State now plays Texas Southern, which lost 7-4 to Louisiana-Lafayette, at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday in the elimination game.
Post-Game Notes
- Mississippi State threw out Texas' Brejae Washington stealing in the bottom of the first. It was only her fourth time caught stealing this season. The Bulldogs have caught 17 of 32 attempted base stealers this season (53.1 percent caught).
- The Bulldogs also picked off Lindsey Stephens in the third inning. It was MSU's third pickoff of the campaign.
- The Bulldogs were hit by one pitch, increasing their total to 83, the most in a year in program history.
- In the last three games, MSU has been hit by 14 pitches.
- Junior Julia Echols went two-for-two during the game. In her last eight contests, Echols is hitting .619 (13-for-21) with a walk and a eight hit by pitches.
- Echols was hit by a pitch to increase her season total to 15, the third most in a year in program history.
- Senior Alison Owen's single-season strikeout total is 213, good for the third most in a year in program history.
- Owen's five strikeouts were her most in any appearance since fanning 12 against Alabama on April 12.
- There have been three seasons in program history with an MSU pitcher recording 200 or more strikeouts and Owen owns two of them (2014 and 250 in 2013). Autumn Anderson (1998/246) is the only other Bulldog hurler with more than 200 whiffs in a campaign.
- Freshman Alexis Silkwood increased her strikeout total to 153, the ninth most in a year in program history and the second most by an MSU freshman.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Davis, Tiarra (19-12)
L: Owen, Alison (18-12)
Batting:
2B: Echols, Julia 1 ; Foulks, Logan 1
SH: Offutt, Jessica 1
Base Running:
HBP: Echols, Julia 1
Batting:
2B: Stephens, Lindsey 1
HR: Washington, Brejae 1
RBI: Washington, Brejae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Washington, Brejae 1
CS: Washington, Brejae 1
PO: Stephens, Lindsey 1
