State Shuts Down Lipscomb For 1-0 Win

Tuesday, March 31

Nashville, Tenn.

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

26-10

Lipscomb

16-18

Mississippi State

Lipscomb

State Shuts Down Lipscomb For 1-0 Win

March 31, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – One clutch hit and a team defensive effort was all the Mississippi State softball team (26-10) needed to take a 1-0 win over Lipscomb (16-18) on Tuesday at Draper Diamond at Smith Stadium.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 21-3 this season against non-conference opponents and 5-4 in one-run games.

“This was a quality road win” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “Lipscomb is well coached and played hard. We made a few really good defensive plays and got a timely hit to scratch out the victory.”

Both defenses and starting pitchers dominated early on as State placed runners on base, but was not able to record a base hit until the fifth inning when junior Loryn Nichols led off with a bunt single. LU recorded two hits through the first four innings and put multiple runners in scoring position, but were unable to plate any.

Following Nichols' single, senior Julia Echols singled up the middle to give State its first real threat of the game. With one out, sophomore Mackenzie Toler delivered a single up the middle to score Nichols and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

“Loryn Nichols had a great game getting our first hit, scoring our only run and making a diving catch at full extension in center field,” said Stuedeman.

With the MSU defense covering nearly every inch of the field, the Bisons were unable to bring a runner across the plate as State held on for the one-run win.

Sophomore and Southeastern Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week Alexis Silkwood (19-7) recorded the complete-game victory as she allowed two hits and four strikeouts in the shutout. Tanner Sanders (8-9) received the loss as she allowed the game's lone run on four hits in seven innings of work.

State will continue its four-game road stint this weekend with a three-game road set at Arkansas, starting Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. Games two and three on Sunday and Monday will both air nationally on the SEC Network.

For more information on the 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.”