Bulldogs Roll Past UAB In Six, 11-3
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
State Pounds Out 19th Double Digit Showing Of Season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Mississippi State put together multi-run rallies in three different innings to turn an early-inning dogfight into a six-inning rout as the Bulldogs pounded out their 19th double digit hitting performance in a 11-3 victory over UAB Tuesday evening at George Ward Park in Birmingham, Ala.
The Maroon and White (34-22) slammed two home runs in the contest, including a three-run shot from Birmingham native Katie Johnson in the second inning to cruise to its sixth-straight victory and its 12th win in its last 14 outings. Senior all-American Iyhia McMichael extended her hitting streak out to 13 games by scoring a pair of runs on a 2-for-3 hitting line, while Kate Jaspers led all RBI performers, punching in three on a 1-for-3 tally with a run scored.
Lindsay Nelson highlighted a 1-for-4 night at the plate with a two-run homer in the sixth, with Tanelda McDonald (2-for-3) and Blaire Brown (2-for-4) pitching in multi-hit plate tallies. With its 11 runs scored on Tuesday, Mississippi State set a school record with a total of 303 runs scored during the 2004 campaign. Leadoff hitter Sara Christophel singled twice in three trips to the plate to lead the UAB (16-33) hitting column.
MSU starter Melissa Massey (16-8) won her seventh-straight outing with plenty of offense behind her and struck out three UAB hitters in four innings of work. Stephanie Comeaux struck out two batters and allowed just one hit in two innings of work to collect her second save of the season. Tara Higashino saddled the complete game loss for the Blazers, surrendering 10 earned runs on 12 MSU hits in the setback.
The Bulldogs scraped together a score quickly, using a leadoff walk issued to McMichael, coupled with a sac bunt by Kate Jaspers, to get a runner in scoring position within minutes of first pitch. Jennifer Waterman's slow roller with the next at-bat was quickly corralled by Higashino, but UAB first baseman Kris Lara muffed the throw, allowing McMichael to cross the plate with the 1-0 advantage for State.
The Blazers mounted a quick charge in much the same manner, using a leadoff single from Christophel and a sac bunt by Chelsea McCall to put a runner of their own into position. Massey recorded the second out of the frame with a swinging strikeout of Beth Mullins, but the cleanup hitter Krzan finished off the damage by smacking a 2-2 offering from the MSU staff ace over the fence in centerfield for the 2-1 lead heading into the second.
State countered immediately, however, putting a pair of runners into scoring position with its first three at-bats in the second to set the table for the pinch hitter Johnson who launched a full-count offering from Higashino down the leftfield line and into the trees, giving the lead back to MSU in the form of a 4-2 score.
Not to be outdone, the Blazers rallied again in their half of the second, getting a pair of runners into scoring position on a duo of one-out dribbling infield singles and a sac bunt from Lauren Terry. Christophel delivered the goods moments later, lacing a shot to the gap in left centerfield to bring one run across, before a series of perfect relay throws nailed Christophel on the base paths attempting to stretch her knock into a two-baser.
Although relatively quiet the rest of the way out, State would plate a pair of insurance runs in the fourth, then blew the game wide open on three swings in the fifth, getting a two-run ground rule double from Kate Jaspers, a RBI single from Brown and a three-run round-tripper from the bat of Nelson.
Mississippi State and UAB will both return to action tomorrow when the squads complete their home-home-series with a game in Starkville. First pitch of the contest is set for 6 p.m. at the Mississippi State Softball Field and admission is free.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 11, UAB 3 (6 Innings)
Mississippi State (34-22) 130 205 - 11 12 0UAB (16-33) 210 000 - 3 7 1
Massey and Waterman. Higashino and Ellis. W - Massey (16-8). L - . Save - Comeaux. HR - UAB, Krzan. MSU, Johnson, Nelson. 2B - MSU, McMichael.
