Softball Takes Two on Saturday, Moves to 9-0
February 15, 2015 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – On the third day of the February Freezer, Mississippi State softball played two games that varied in fashion, but resulted in the same thing, Bulldog victories on Saturday at the MSU Softball Field.
Moving to 9-0 on the young season, State took down UT Martin and Lamar with help from the entire offense and the entire pitching rotation.
"No matter who you're playing, when you play a doubleheader you have to be able to reset after game one but also bring the same intensity as if it is the only game of the day," said head coach Vann Stuedeman. "We came out and had opportunities for people to prove themselves and gain experience that will help them grow individually and as a part of this team."
GAME ONE – MSU 4, UT Martin 2
The first game of the day for State saw freshman Holly Ward contribute a total of five innings pitched with sophomores Alexis Silkwood and Mackenzie Toler collaborating for two additional innings.
The Skyhawk offense scored in the top of the first to jump out front of MSU in the low scoring contest. UT Martin added another in the top of the fourth to double its lead and bring the count to 2-0.
The Bulldog bats came alive in the home half of the fifth inning after junior Loryn Nichols kick started the inning with a double down the left field line. A steal and alert base running from junior Kayla Winkfield placed runners on second and third with no outs. With an Amanda Ivy single and a Katie Anne Baily sacrifice fly, State knotted the game up at two runs apiece after five innings of play.
After Ward and Toler silenced the UT Martin hitters, Silkwood took the circle in a relief appearance that had little room for error.
Silkwood helped her own cause in the sixth as she ripped a one-out double looking to put her side out front. With senior Ashley Phillips pinch running for Silkwood, Winkfield drove a single up the middle to score Phillips from second and put MSU up 3-2.
Having the lead wasn't going to keep Winkfield from being aggressive as she forced a Skyhawk error following a steal to take home with ease and make it a two-run game heading into the final frame.
Not lacking drama, UT Martin loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but with the stout MSU defense behind her, Silkwood sealed the 4-2 win.
UT Martin Postgame Notes:
- Mackenzie Toler made her first pitching appearance of the season, fourth of her career and first since Feb. 14, 2014
- Loryn Nichols hit her first double of the season and fourth of her career.
- Alexis Silkwood hit her first career double.
- Silkwood is now 5-0 on the season with 44 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.
- Holly Ward started her fifth start of the season.
- Maroon & White pitching has seven or more strikeouts in six of eight games this season.
- The Bulldogs are now 82-11 when they hold their opponents to two or fewer runs under head coach Vann Stuedeman.
- MSU is 15-2 against teams from the state of Tennessee under Stuedeman and 3-0 versus UT Martin in program history.
- State is starting the season 8-0 for the second straight season and fifth time in program history.
GAME TWO – MSU 7, Lamar 1
The Bulldogs did not play from behind in their final game of the day as a double from Bailey and a RBI from sophomore Caroline Seitz gave MSU a 1-0 edge after one.
The margin would grow with a pair of runs driven in by Bailey on a stand-up double in the second to make it 3-0 after Nichols and Winkfield crossed home.
"Our offense produced just as we expected and big hits in big moments were key for us. Caroline Seitz and Katie Anne Bailey keep driving in runs, but they aren't the only ones. We have a lot of strong bats which makes it tough to know who to put in the lineup sometimes, but it is a good problem to have," said Stuedeman.
Lamar would plate one in the top of the third, but their scoring in the game would end there. Playing a starting role in game two, Silkwood went five innings and allowed just one run on four hits in a winning effort to finish 2-0 on the day.
A three-run fourth inning fueled by a RBI from senior Julia Echols and a two-run home run off the bat of Seitz brought the run total to six and the advantage to five.
Just for good measure, Phillips led off the fifth with a single and would come around to score on a single off the bat of Winkfield to bring the score to 7-1.
Freshman Cassady Knudsen saw game action for the second time of the season and excelled in two innings of work, allowing just one hit and closing out the six-run State victory to sweep the day.
"It was good to be able to have each of our four pitchers see action today too," said Stuedeman. "Cassady Knudsen has really grown since she got to campus and it is a great thing to see. We're getting more and more confident as a team and that will continue to happen as the season goes along."
The Maroon & White will play Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 15 against Illinois at noon to wrap up the four-day February Freezer. Admission to all games at the MSU Softball Stadium is free and open to the public.
For more information on MSU softball program, follow "HailStateSB" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also find all-access coverage of the Bulldogs on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
Lamar Postgame Notes:
- Katie Anne Bailey recorded two doubles, giving her three on the season. Bailey had three all of last year.
- Caroline Seitz hit her fifth homerun of the season and fourth in five games.
- MSU turned their first Double play of the season.
- Bulldog hitting has scored seven or more runs in six of nine games this season.
- The Maroon and & White have are 24-1 in February, dating back to last season.
- With the win, MSU is 1-0 against Lamar.
- State is staring 9-0 for the fourth time in program history and straight seson.
- The Bulldogs are now 83-11 when they hold their opponents to two or fewer runs under head coach Vann Stuedeman.
- Stuedeman's Bulldogs are now 4-4 against the state of Texas.
- MSU is 32-5 when recording 10 or more hits in the Stuedeman era.
