Silkwood Captures Strikeouts Record, MSU Sweeps Saturday Play

Saturday, February 25

Starkville

12:30 PM

Mississippi State

10-3

Southern Illinois

7-6

Southern Illinois

Mississippi State

Alexis Silkwood set the MSU all-time record for strikeouts on Saturday, moving past Alison Owen (2013-14) with 474.

Silkwood Captures Strikeouts Record, MSU Sweeps Saturday Play

February 25, 2017 | Softball

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – It was a Saturday for the record books at Nusz Park, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (11-3) downed Southern Illinois (8-6), 5-2, and North Florida (8-8), 4-1, to advance to Sunday's February Freezer championship game.

Highlighting MSU's Saturday dominance was the play of senior pitcher Alexis Silkwood, who tossed a trio of strikeouts in the day's second game to move her career total to 474, setting the all-time MSU record for strikeouts. The three K's moved her past former MSU great Alison Owen (2013-14), who previously held the record with 473.

Silkwood tallied her fifth complete game of the season against the UNF Ospreys, tossing three strikeouts and allowing just one run on four hits to move to 6-0 on the year. She's now three wins away from matching her career-best consecutive wins streak, set in 2015 (nine-straight wins).

The Bulldog lefty wasn't the only MSU hurler to tally an impressive showing in day two of the weekend. Junior Cassady Knudsen picked up her first win of the year in the day's first game, putting in 5.0 innings of work and striking out nine, which ties her career high. She allowed just two runs on three hits.

SIU would strike first in that contest, as the Salukis blasted a two-run homer to left field in the fifth. The lead would be short lived however, as the Bulldogs put up five runs in the bottom half of the inning.

A Bevia Robinson single and SIU throwing error would plate the first run of the contest, pushing Carmen Carter across home plate. Singles from Kat Moore and Olivia Golden would drive in a run each, giving State a 3-2 lead. The final blow would come via a two-RBI single to right from Caroline Seitz, bringing home Golden and Moore to push MSU's lead to 5-2.

Silkwood would enter the contest in the sixth looking to close out the victory. After giving up two-straight singles, the lefty shut down SIU's offense, retiring the next three batters in the inning. She would then work around a leadoff single and a walk to strike out two and secure her third save of the season.

The senior would get the start in the day's second contest and received support early on from her offense. Emily Heimberger tied her career-best hitting streak at five games after reeling off a triple to left in the bottom of the second, scoring both Calyn Adams and Seitz. Robinson would then step up and lay down a beautiful bunt single to score Heimberger and open up the scoring with a 3-0 MSU lead.

The Ospreys would plate one run in the third via an RBI single, but would come no closer. An insurance run would come one inning later for the Dogs thanks to the bat of Robinson, driving home Katie Anne Bailey and securing a 4-1 MSU victory.

Spearheading the MSU offense was Robinson, who went 6-for-7 on the day with two RBI and two stolen bases. She is now riding a four-game hitting streak, which matches the best stretch in her young career.

MSU's two wins now sets up the Dogs for a Sunday, Feb. 26 showdown against Southern Illinois for the February Freezer Championship. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. CT, with streaming of the contest coming on SEC Network +. Anthony Craven will have the call for the Sunday afternoon tilt.

2017 February Freezer Schedule…
Friday, Feb. 24
Game 1 – Eastern Illinois def. Southern Illinois, 7-0
Game 2 – Southern Illinois def. North Florida, 5-3
Game 3 - Mississippi State def. North Florida, 7-5
Game 4 - Mississippi State def. Eastern Illinois, 4-1

Saturday, Feb. 25
Game 5 – North Florida def. Eastern Illinois, 4-2
Game 6 - Mississippi State def. Southern Illinois, 5-2
Game 7 – Mississippi State def. North Florida, 4-1
Game 8 – Southern Illinois def. Eastern Illinois, 7-5

Sunday, Feb. 26
Game 9 – Eastern Illinois vs. North Florida - 11 a.m. CT
Game 10 – Mississippi State vs. Southern Illinois - 1:30 p.m. CT

Scoring Plays Versus Southern Illinois…
5^th Inning – Carmen Carter is brought home after a Bevia Robinson single and a throwing error against the Salukis
5^th Inning – Kat Moore singles to center, bringing home Emily Heimberger to push MSU to a 2-2 tie with SIU
5^th Inning – Keeping the MSU fifth rolling, Olivia Golden singled to left field to score Bevia Robinson and giving MSU to 3-2 lead
5^th Inning – Capping off a five-run fifth for the Bulldogs, senior Caroline Seitz singles to right to drive both Olivia Golden and Kat Moore home, pushing the MSU lead to 5-2

Scoring Plays Versus North Florida…
2^nd Inning – Emily Heimberger drills one to left field and blazes through the basepaths for a triple, scoring both Calyn Adams and Caroline Seitz
2^nd Inning – Bevia Robinson lays down a bunt single, bringing home Emily Heimberger
4^th Inning – Bevia Robinson's dominating Saturday continues, as she singles to center to score Katie Anne Bailey and moving the MSU lead to 4-1

Silkwood Captures MSU All-Time Strikeouts Record…
With a trio of strikeouts against North Florida, Alexis Silkwood set the Mississippi State all-time strikeouts record with 474. She broke former MSU great Alison Owen's record of 473, set from 2013-14.

Knudsen Tears It Up In Game One…
In the day's first game, Cassady Knudsen was on fire from the circle. The junior tallied nine strikeouts, tying her career high and earning the win to move to 1-2 on the year. With that win, all four starting MSU pitchers have earned at least one victory this year.

Robinson Tallies An Unreal Saturday, Continues Hot Streak…
Bevia Robinson continued her tear through the February Freezer on Saturday, going 6-for-7 with two RBI and two stolen bases. She is now on a four-game hitting streak, which matches the best such streak of her young career. She is also riding a career-best seven-game streak of reaching base safely.

Silk Climbing Up The Career Saves Chart…
Silkwood started her day, coming in and shutting down the Southern Illinois Salukis in the day's first game, earning her third save of the year. For her career, Silkwood now has seven saves, which moves her into a tie for fifth in the MSU record books.

Heimberger Ties Career-Best Hitting Streak…
With hits in both games today, Emily Heimberger moved her hitting streak to five games. That ties her career-long hitting streak, set last season from Feb. 22 (at SELA) to Feb. 28 (vs. McNeese State).

Live Video…
Mississippi State's Sunday showdown against Southern Illinois will be broadcasted on SEC Network +, with Anthony Craven on the call.

MSU vs. Southern Illinois (February Freezer Championship Game)

Live Stats…
Mississippi State will provide live stats for Sunday's matchup. Live stats can be found here or by visiting hailstate.com/livestats.

Admission…
Sunday's game at Nusz Park, as well as all contests during the 2017 season, are free admission.

Promotions…
A list of Sunday's promotions are listed below.

Sunday, Feb. 26
MSU vs. Southern Illinois (1:30 p.m.)
- Free admission
- Free gift cards and prizes throughout the games
- "Kids' Day At The Park" (Sponsored by LeBonheur)
- Kids can run the bases after final game of the weekend

Social Media…
For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".