Mississippi State Fights Off Trojans In Slugfest, 12-6
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
MARIETTA, Ga. -- Troy struck first on a wild pitch in the top of the second inning, but Mississippi State rallied for six runs in each of the third and sixth innings to put the Trojans away, 12-6, in the finale of round-robin pool play for both squads Saturday evening at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic in Marietta, Ga.
State (15-7) got home runs from three different players, including Katie Cooley who smacked her third of the season in a decisive sixth inning to highlight a 3-for-4 hitting line. Jennifer Jessup (1-for-4, 2 RBI) turned in her second home run of the season with a two-run shot in the third, while Callye Williams (2-for-3, 3 RBI) equaled the task two batters later. Courtney Bures stretched her season-long hitting streak out to seven games, driving in a pair of runs and scoring twice on a 2-for-3 night at the plate. Brooke Powell paced the Trojan offense with a pinch hit grand slam in the fifth.
Bulldog righthander Stephanie Comeaux (5-1) made two appearances in the contest and picked up the win for the Bulldogs despite allowing Powell's homer late in the contest. Comeaux pitched five and one-thirds innings from the circle, striking out seven and scattering five hits. Kacie Flinn suffered her second loss of the season to the Maroon and White after conceding eight runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in three and one-thirds innings of relief.
"We jumped on them in the third and got some runs for Sara (Hickerson), but she came in and struggled and let them back in the ball game," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "I thought we did a good job of coming back and putting them away. That was a good sign."
State conceded a first inning lead on a wild pitch by Comeaux with two outs in the second, but the Bulldogs answered in the third, sending 10 batters to the plate in a six-run inning that was highlighted by two-run home runs by Jessup and Williams. Clutching onto the five-run lead, Troy jumped on MSU reliever Sara Hickerson in a big way. The Trojans cut their deficit to four, 6-2, on Tamra Howren's solo homer to left field and, five batters later, got a two-out grand slam to knot the game back up.
However, MState rallied with two outs in the sixth and got some help from the Trojan defense in scoring six unearned runs to put the game away. The rally was aided by a dropped foul fly by Troy rightfielder Stacey Dwyer, as well as an obstruction call on an apparent double play at third base.
