Six-Run Sixth Lifts Softball at No. 21 Mizzou

Saturday, April 11

Columbia, Mo.

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

31-11, 9-8

#21 Missouri

25-10, 7-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mississippi State	0	0	0	1	0	6	1	8	12	2
Missouri	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	4	8	3

Six-Run Sixth Lifts Softball at No. 21 Mizzou

April 11, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

COLUMBIA, Mo. – With a staff pitching performance and a six-run sixth, Mississippi State (31-11, 9-8 SEC) took game two from No. 21 Missouri (25-10, 7-7 SEC), 8-4, on Saturday afternoon at University Field.

With the win, State improved to 17-0 when scoring first this season.

“What a great win today,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “Our entire pitching staff saw time and they found success and so did our batting order. We had seven different players collect a hit and Julia Echols go 5-for-5. It will be another dog fight tomorrow.”

Sophomore Mackenzie Toler got the start in the circle and struck out the first three batters she faced to get in a groove early on. With help from the Bulldog defense, Toler kept the Tigers hitless through the first three innings.

In the top half of the fourth, senior Julia Echols lined a two-out single to left, scoring senior Erika Gaul from third and putting MSU ahead 1-0.

In relief of Toler, freshman Cassady Knudsen entered in the fourth inning and tossed two shutout innings for the Bulldogs.

Looking to add insurance, State did just that in the sixth by loading the bases with one out. A walk from sophomore Caroline Seitz and a single from Toler each drove in a run, pushing the score to 3-0. A Mizzou error on a play at the dish made it 5-0 as two more Bulldogs to come across.

After being robbed of a home run on Friday, senior Erika Gaul crushed a pitch so hard it could only be caught by fans in the bleacher seats as her two-run home run capped the six-run sixth and put her side ahead 7-0.

Mizzou closed the gap in the home half of the sixth as three hits and an error led to three runs and a 7-3 lead for State heading into the seventh.

State went back to work in the seventh as a single from sophomore Alexis Silkwood plated another run to make it 8-3. The Tigers would answer with a run of their own in the seventh, but it would not be enough as MSU took the game, 8-4.

In three shutout innings, Toler (2-1) recorded the win and struck out four in the process. Paige Lowary (11-3) suffered the loss as she surrendered the game's first run and four hits in three innings of work.

Both teams will battle again for the rubber game on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will 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.”