Bailey Breaks Through As Softball Starts 2-0
February 07, 2015 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – On the second day of the 2015 Bulldog Kickoff Classic, freshman pitcher Holly Ward made her first collegiate start against Middle Tennessee pitching five strong innings to aid the Bulldogs in a 9-1 victory, Friday night at MSU Softball Field.
For the second-straight night, a pitcher dominated for the Maroon & White, while getting help from the Bulldog bats as nine MSU hitters recorded a total of 13 hits in the six-inning run-rule win. Sophomore backstop Katie Anne Bailey led the State offense by going 4-for-4 at the plate with a triple, one RBI and one run scored.
"We had some really good offense, Katie Anne Bailey was 4-for-4, we had some good pitching, and some excellent defense," head coach Vann Stuedeman said. "So when you have those three things added together, it's exciting to get a win."
The Bulldogs are now 5-1 all-time against the Blue Raiders, 4-0 in Starkville, with a four-game winning streak against the side from Murfreesboro.
Ward started her debut allowing the lead-off runner to get on base with a walk, and the visitors were able to capitalize by bringing the runner around to score, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the home half of the opening frame, a collection of Bulldogs pulled together for a four-run inning, sparked by Bailey's triple off the right field wall, that gave MSU a lead it would never relinquish at the end of one.
After adjusting to the game, Ward settled down in the second to begin a stretch where she retired 11 straight Middle Tennessee batters from the first through the fifth innings.
A two-run third saw three hits, including RBI's from Julia Echols and Kayla Winkfield to stretch the home team's lead to five runs.
Getting the start at first, Erika Gaul made the most of her opportunity by smashing two stand-up doubles to finish as one of two Bulldogs to get multiple hits in the contest.
In her first collegiate at bat, freshman Calyn Adams recorded an RBI single in the fourth to cap a two-run inning and put her side up 8-1. Freshman Cassady Knudsen also made her collegiate debut on the night as a reliever in the fifth inning to record one strikeout in one innings of work.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Adams stood in and took a pitch off the shoulder to give the Bulldog Classic hosts a 9-1 walk-off win in six for the second game in as many nights.
State will retake the field for day three of the classic with a twin-billing against St. Louis and Austin Peay. The first game is set to being at 11:35 a.m. The game will air live on SEC Network+. Fans can watch SEC Network+ either via WatchESPN.com or on their mobile devices via the WatchESPNapp. 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."
MSU Weekend Schedule:
Saturday, Feb. 7 – Saint Louis (11:30 a.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 7 – Austin Peay (2:00 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Saint Louis (12:30 p.m.)
- HailState.com -
