Lynam's Shot Helps #18 Baylor Hand State First Loss Of Season, 1-0
May 25, 2016 | Softball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
WACO, Texas - Tessa Lynam's home run with one out in the top of the sixth inning proved to be more than enough run support behind a two-hit shutout from Lisa Ferguson and Baylor became the first team to beat Mississippi State this season with a 1-0 victory over the Bulldogs Friday evening in Waco, Texas.
Katie Cooley walked and singled in two trips to the plate, while sophomore Hayle Guess provided the only other hit of the game for the Maroon and White (16-1) who saw its school-record 16-game winning streak snapped with the setback. Lynam, who was rocked for 12 runs on 15 hits by the Bulldogs in an outing as a freshman pitcher at LSU in 2003, got her revenge with the pivotal round-tripper that highlighted a 2-for-3 hitting line for the Bears (13-5).
Blake (8-1), who had already recorded five shutouts in eight appearances this season heading into the contest, nearly got her sixth blanking before settling for the tough-luck loss after scattering five hits and allowing just a lone earned run. Ferguson (8-1) struck out eight, walked just one and surrendered a pair of fourth inning singles in picking up the win for the Bears who ran their home record out to 56-12 over the past two seasons with the triumph.
I thought Ragan pitched a great game. She threw one fat pitch and the kid hit it out, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. We gave ourselves some opportunities, especially after we went through the order the first time. Ferguson threw a great ball game. You can't take anything away from that. We kept fighting and kept scratching though and that was a good sign.
It was a great ball game and it turned out to be whoever got the breaks ended up winning it. If we fight and compete like that all year, we're in great shape.
After leaving a runner stranded in position in the second, Baylor went to work again in the third, getting a leadoff single and a stolen base from Miriam Romero, then got a pair aboard on a four-pitch walk delivered to Kelly Osburn. Blake took down the next two Bears in order, surrendered an infield single to Chelsi Lake to load the bases, but evaded any scoring by inducing Lynam to line out to second base.
Guess broke up Ferguson's bid for a no-hitter with a single in the fourth and watched as State got a two-out single from Cooley to put runners on the corners three batters later. Ferguson scoffed at the challenge and, despite a lengthy battle from the MSU rookie, struck out Sammie Jo Bailey to escape the frame.
Romero struck again as BU's leadoff hitter in the fifth, finding herself in scoring position after a single and a clutch State fielding error. After an ensuing sac bunt from Osburn moved Romero to third, Blake dodged trouble again, retiring Harmony Schwethelm on a liner to third, before getting Brette Reagan on a fly out to centerfield.
Mississippi State will resume tournament action in the Compass Bank Invitational on Saturday morning when the Bulldogs take on Bowling Green (6-2) at 10 a.m. inside Getterman Stadium. The Falcons, who rolled into Waco undefeated on Thursday, dropped a 4-3 game to #13 Washington and a 3-1 decision to Baylor on Friday.
