Miller, State Finish Off Twinbill Sweep Of Visiting Rebels, 2-1
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
Bulldogs, Rebels To Finish Out Series On Wednesday
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Rookie righthander Kelli Miller scattered three hits and allowed just one run over her eighth complete game of the season and homestanding Mississippi State scraped together runs in each of the first and fifth innings to complete a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi with a 2-1 series-clinching victory Tuesday evening at the Mississippi State Softball Field.
Senior all-American Iyhia McMichael drove in a run and scored once on a 2-for-3 hitting line, while fellow senior Kate Jaspers tallied a 2-for-3 night as well to pace the Bulldog (30-22, 11-15) offense. Moss Point freshman Hayle Guess crossed the plate once and tallied State's only other hit on a 1-for-2 clip. DeDe Justice recorded a 2-for-3 night with a run scored to lead all Rebel (13-33, 6-17) hitters.
Miller (7-8) won her second consecutive decision with a gem of an outing, recording four strikeouts while allowing just two of three hits to leave the infield. Dana Brill saddled the loss for the Rebels despite striking out four and scattering five Mississippi State hits.
The win marked State's ninth victory in the last 11 meetings with its cross state rival, with both losses coming on walk-off homers in the final two games of last season's series in Oxford. McMichael's first inning single stretched her hitting streak out to 10 games.
"I thought Kelli pitched a very good ballgame tonight," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "She got into some trouble in the last inning, but we were disciplined enough to help her close it out. They got the tying and winning runs into scoring position in the seventh and that is something we had trouble with at the beginning of the season. But, we are getting better and were able to get the job done tonight."
State utilized a leadoff single by McMichael in the first to manufacture a 1-0 lead after a Jaspers single and a RBI groundout by Waterman one batter later. The Bulldogs extended their lead to a pair in the fifth on a one-out infield single by Guess and a two-out triple by McMichael.
The Rebels got a leadoff double from Justice in the seventh and followed with a grounder to MSU shortstop Callye Williams that moved Justice to third. Brooke Turner laid down a bunt moments later that scored Justice to cut the lead to a single run, but Miller regained her composure, getting Mary Jane Callahan on a sac bunt before inducing Andrea Brahs to ground out to Jaspers at first base.
Mississippi State and Mississippi will close out their series on Wednesday with a single game set for 5 p.m. at the MSU Softball Field. Admission to all 2004 Mississippi State Softball home games is free of charge.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 2, MISSISSIPPI 1
Mississippi (13-33) 000 000 1 - 1 3 0 Mississippi State (30-22) 100 010 x - 2 5 1
Brill and Justice. Miller and Waterman. W - Miller (7-8). L - Brill (4-15). Save - None. 3B - McMichael. 2B - Justice 2.
