Bulldogs Battle Ole Miss In M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic
May 25, 2016 | Softball
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STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Having blanked its cross-state rival to tie the season set at one apiece on April 19 in Oxford, the Mississippi State softball team will head to Madison Tuesday evening as the Bulldogs square off with Ole Miss in the final leg of a disjoined season series at the third annual M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic.
State (31-24, 11-15 SEC) will renew their rivalry with the Rebels (26-25, 6-17) for the 31st time in a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Madison's Liberty Park. The game will be broadcast live by WMSV 91.1 FM with Anthony Craven handling all the play-by-play duties, while the match-up can also be followed in progress via a live stats link at the official Internet home of the Mississippi State athletic department, www.MStateAthletics.com.
Both teams have taken very different paths since a 2-0 triumph by the Rebels in Starkville on April 14. Since that setback, State has churned out a 5-2 record, including a 4-0 shutout of the Rebels at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium, while the Rebels have taken a turn for the worse, dropping six of their last seven.
In terms of the race for the SEC Tournament, Ole Miss faces a must-win situation against the Maroon and White Tuesday evening, while an MSU win will clinch the Bulldogs' eighth-straight appearance in the SEC postseason gala.
"The key is we have to play good sound defense, get good pitching and some timely hits," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "We are giving ourselves opportunities, but we still aren't executing well. We need to do a better job in terms of that. If we can do the little things, I think we will do just fine."
In the series opener between the two ball clubs, Ole Miss plated a lone run in each of the first and seventh innings behind a solid four-hit shutout from staff ace Mary Jane Callahan en route to a 2-0 Rebel triumph. Mississippi State returned the favor five days later, scoring a pair of runs on two-out rallies in each of the fourth and sixth innings behind a dominating complete game blanking from righthander Kelli Miller en route to a 4-0 victory in Oxford.
Tuesday evening's meeting will mark the first neutral site match-up in the history of the 31-game series between the two squads. State is 1-1 in the M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic, falling 8-5 to Southern Miss in the inaugural game in 2003, before rebounding in last season's game with the Golden Eagles by a 6-3 count. The games have averaged more than 1,390 fans, including a crowd of 1,712 at Liberty Park in 2003.
"This game is good for the whole state of softball in Mississippi," Miller said. "I think this is a great opportunity for people to come out and watch some quality SEC softball."
DIRECTIONS TO LIBERTY PARK
From I-55 South: Take Madison Exit (#108) and, once at the bottom of the off-ramp, take right. Proceed until taking your first right (past Backyard Burgers which will be on right) and then proceed to end of Crawford Street. Crawford Street will dead end. Take right onto Madison Avenue. Proceed approximately 1/4 mile and entrance to Liberty Park will be on your right.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets can be purchased at Metro Jackson area M&F Banks, Starkville and Oxford area M&F Banks and at the gate prior to the game. Tickets are $5. Students 10 and under accompanied by parents will be admitted free.
