Bulldogs Use Long Ball To Clinch Series At Arkansas, 5-2
May 25, 2016 | Softball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Sammie Jo Bailey and Katie Cooley each belted monstrous home runs and MSU starter Ragan Blake dominated after shaking off a rough start to help 22nd-ranked Mississippi State clinch its SEC-opening three-game series at Arkansas with a 5-2 victory over the Lady Razorbacks in the second half of a Saturday doubleheader at Lady ?€˜Back Yard in Fayetteville, Ark.
Sophomore Nakita Boyce provided a pair of clutch two-out RBI to highlight a 2-for-4 night at the plate, with Cooley and Bailey both providing the firepower en route to the fifth consecutive win for Mississippi State (23-6, 2-0 SEC) in its series against the Lady Razorbacks. Sandra Smith collected her second and third hits of the season to turn in a 2-for-3 outing with a run scored for Arkansas (12-13, 1-4).
Blake (11-3) allowed five hits over the first three innings of play, but surrendered just two more the rest of the way out en route to her 11th victory of the campaign. The sophomore righthander finished off her 12th complete game of the season with seven strikeouts as well. Arkansas starter Katy Henry (6-5) saddled the loss for the hosts, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings of action from the circle.
After that first inning, we just kept battling and fighting at the plate, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. We hit the ball hard but they made some nice plays. If they hadn't, it really could have gotten out of hand for them. I thought we did a nice job, especially with the big blows from Sammie Jo and Cooley. When we were down by a run early, Sammie Jo came up with a big two-run home run and then they tie it up and Katie Cooley puts us back up with her shot. We kept the pressure on them and it paid off for us.
Arkansas got a leadoff double from Mindy O'Malley in the first and forged a 1-0 lead with an ensuing sac hit by Rachel LeMaster as well as an RBI single from Shana Easley. State answered in the second, however, getting Cooley aboard on a costly throwing error to begin the frame that set the table for Bailey who took Henry's first offering deep over the wall in straightaway centerfield.
The Lady ?€˜Backs would tie the game back up on a two-out RBI single from Smith in the third, but Cooley's leadoff homer in the fourth would put the Bulldogs back up for good. MState would plate a pair of insurance runs on two-out singles from Boyce in the fifth and seventh innings to provide the final.
Mississippi State and Arkansas will close out their weekend series on Sunday afternoon when the squads return to Lady ?€˜Back Yard to lock horns in the series finale. First pitch has been set for 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live by WMSV 91.1 FM with Stephen Cole calling all the balls and strikes.
