MSU Softball Field Era Concludes Wednesday vs. Memphis
April 21, 2015 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – For its final game before its new facility is constructed this offseason, the Mississippi State softball team (31-16) will host Memphis (14-27) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT at the MSU Softball Field.
FOLLOW LIVE
Wednesday night's contest will air on SEC Network+, exclusively through WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app. The voice of Bulldog softball, Anthony Craven, will have the call for all three games.
TICKET INFORMATION
Admission to all games at the MSU Softball Stadium is free and open to the public.
PROMOTIONS
It will be Bully's Kids Club Night with all members in attendance receiving an MSU pennant that they can color and design themselves. Starkville Parks & Rec will hold their annual night at the ballpark as well. Starkville Park and Rec members will also receive an MSU pennant and will be allowed to take a picture with the team following the game on the field. All kids are invited to take the field with the team for the National Anthem. To do so, please be there by 5:40 p.m. CT.
LAST TIME OUT
MSU was most recently swept by No. 12 Tennessee during Super Bulldog Weekend. The Bulldogs missed opportunities to pull off walk-off wins on Friday and Saturday before falling in six innings on Senior-Day Sunday.
TEAM & PLAYER NOTES
· The Bulldogs have 14 come-from-behind wins in 2015 and 49 in the Stuedeman era.
· State is a perfect 17-0 when scoring first this season.
· MSU is 30-8 when scoring three or more runs and 27-9 when holding opponents to five or fewer runs. State is 7-12 vs. ranked opponents this season.
· With six regular-season games remaining in 2015, MSU has already shattered its 2014 totals for home runs (46), triples (13), hits (401), runs scored (283) and RBIs (255) and is on the cusp of surpassing its doubles totals.
· The Bulldogs rank seventh in the Southeastern Conference in batting average (.317), fourth in hits (401), third in doubles (69), fourth in triples (13) and tied for second in double plays (18).
· In the most recent NCAA RPI rankings, April 20, State fell seven spots to No. 30. The Bulldogs have seven wins over teams ranked in the top 27 and have three upcoming vs. No. 32 South Carolina.
· On Senior Day, senior Katie Gentle went 2-for-2 with two home runs, one of which was a grand slam, for a total of six RBIs vs. No. 12 Tennessee. She became the second Bulldog to go yard twice in a game this season.
· Senior Julia Echols went 5-for-5 on Saturday, April 11, at Mizzou, tying a program record for hits in a game. The record was initially set in 1998 by Shawna Feldt at Georgia Tech.
· Sophomore Alexis Silkwood, who won two-straight SEC Pitcher of the Week honors (March 30 & April 6), ranks second in the conference in batters struck out (180), first in wins (22), first in innings pitched (192.0) and tied for fifth in saves (2). Silkwood's 22 wins is also fourth in all of Division I.
· Sophomore Katie Anne Bailey ranks tied for second in the league in triples (6) and leads the league in runners caught stealing (13).
· Sophomore Caroline Seitz ranks tied for fourth in the SEC in doubles (13), tied for 11th in home runs (12) and 14th in RBI (44), she also leads the team in all three categories.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis has struggled as of late, losing seven-straight games and 12 of its last 14. The Tigers are playing two at home vs. Central Arkansas on Tuesday before heading to Starkville on Wednesday. A member of the American Athletic Conference, Memphis is 2-13 in road games this season.
ON DECK FOR STATE
The Bulldogs will spend their weekend away from Southeastern Conference play in Statesboro, Ga. for two games in two days against Georgia Southern. The first game is set for Saturday, April 25 at 3 p.m. CT. Game two is scheduled for Sunday at noon CT.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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."
