Cold-Hitting 'Dogs Drop Series Opener To Visiting Florida, 7-1
May 25, 2016 | Softball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Visiting Florida plated three runs in the first and seventh innings and the red hot Gators took full advantage of a cold-hitting day at the plate for the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs to capture their first win in Starkville in seven years with a 7-1 victory in the series opener Saturday afternoon at the MSU Softball Field.
Sophomore all-American Courtney Bures stretched her season-best hitting streak out to double digits with a pair of hits on three trips to the plate to lead the Bulldogs (30-9, 4-3 SEC). Florida (29-12, 8-5) got multi-hit days from three different players in snapping their six-game losing skein to the Bulldogs in Starkville and collecting their first win at the MSU Softball Field since April 30, 1999.
MSU starter Stephanie Comeaux (14-4) saddled the loss for MSU, offsetting five strikeouts by allowing seven runs on nine hits in six and one-thirds innings of work before giving way to reliever Sara Hickerson in the seventh. Florida's Stacey Stevens overcame a shaky start to pick up the win for the visitors, striking out seven and allowing just a lone earned run in the triumph.
We came out and gave up three runs in the first inning, but we came right back and loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and couldn't get anything out of it, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. You have to take advantage of opportunities when you have them. In conference play, and especially playing against one of the top teams in the SEC, you don't get many opportunities like that. When you waste them away, that's what happens.
We didn't pitch very well and we didn't field or hit the ball very well. We looked pretty good in our uniforms, but that's about it.
Florida got three hits and an untimely error en route to plating three runs in the top of the first, utilizing a two-run homer from Kristen Butler and a RBI single from Melissa Zick in forging the early advantage. State attempted to counter in its half of the frame, however, loading the bases on three-straight hits to begin the frame, but was forced to settle with just a single run on Callye Williams' sac fly to leftfield.
Florida got a solo shot from Lacy Howard with two outs in the sixth to plate an insurance run, then left no doubt with three more scores in the seventh, two of which results from a dropped fly ball in the outfield by the Maroon and White.
