No. 23 Mississippi State Rallies To Squeeze Orange, 2-1
May 25, 2016 | Softball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - Hayle Guess' RBI single with one out in the bottom of the seventh completed a two-run comeback effort for 23rd-ranked Mississippi State and the Bulldogs snapped a season-long two game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Syracuse Friday afternoon at the Long Beach Invitational in Lakewood, Calif.
Sophomore all-American Courtney Bures scored a run on a 2-for-3 hitting line and Guess punched in a pair of RBI on a 2-for-4 day at the plate to lead five players with base hits for the Maroon and White (19-4). Heather Kim homered and walked on a 1-for-2 plate showing to pace the Orange (8-8) who dropped to 0-3 all-time against MSU with the setback.
MSU starter Ragan Blake (9-2) struck out eight and surrendered three hits over her 10th complete game of the campaign to snap a personal two-game losing streak and pick up the win for the Bulldogs. Orange righthander Erin Downey (4-6) took the loss for Syracuse, offsetting seven strikeouts by allowing three earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks.
We got off to a slow start offensively, but we started swinging the bats a little better that second and third time through the order, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. I thought Ragan did a really good job on the mound and she got stronger and stronger as the game went on. We gave ourselves some chances by putting runners on base. I would have liked to have scored more than three runs, but we did a good job of giving ourselves opportunities.
Syracuse put a runner on the paths immediately when Tonye McCorkle drew a leadoff walk to begin the game, but State got a reprieve a couple of at-bats later when Blair Geddings nabbed McCorkle on a stolen base attempt to record the inning's second out. Regardless, the Orange inflicted some damage and took a 1-0 lead on Kim's solo shot to left field.
After getting just one hit through three innings of play, the Bulldogs finally answered in the bottom of the fourth, utilizing a leadoff single by Bures, as well as its short game, to set the table for a RBI triple from Bailey that tied the score up at one apiece.
MSU went to work again in the seventh, getting a leadoff single from Callye Williams, as well as an ensuing walk to Lindsay Hunley, before Michelle Kinney's sac bunt moved both into scoring position.
