No. 20 Mississippi State Travels to Missouri to Open SEC Play

Friday, March 16

Columbia, Mo.

6:30 PM

Mississippi State

Missouri

Mississippi State will take its 11 game-win streak on the road as the Bulldogs open SEC conference play at Missouri.

No. 20 Mississippi State Travels to Missouri to Open SEC Play

March 15, 2018 | Softball

Game Notes Live Stats Friday: SECN+Saturday: SECN Sunday: SECN

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Sweeping its midweek tilt to extend its win streak to 11 straight games, No. 20 Mississippi State softball (23-3) head to Columbia, Mo., to open the 2018 Southeastern Conference schedule against Missouri (16-12, 0-3 SEC).

The Bulldogs open their first conference series of the year on Friday, March 16 with a 6:30 p.m. CT contest on the SEC Network + with Ben Arnet and Kirsten Mack on the call. First pitch on Saturday, March 17 is set for 4 p.m. CT with the series finale set for Sunday, March 18 at 12 p.m. CT. The final two games of the series will be nationally televised on the SEC Network with Trey Bender and Carol Bruggeman on the call.

MSU and the Tigers have met 12 times prior to this weekend with Missouri leading the all-time series 2-10. The two programs have not met since the 2016 campaign when the Tigers swept the series in Starkville. It is the first time in program history that the Bulldogs have opened conference play with Missouri.

This weekend will be the fourth series against the Tigers over the Vann Stuedeman era. This is just the second time in program history that the Bulldogs have made the trek to Columbia.

State is riding an 11-game winning streak, which currently stands tied for the sixth-longest in school history. The Bulldogs opened its five-game road trip on Tuesday with an 11-1 run-rule victory at Samford before coming from behind to knock off Memphis at the Tiger Softball Complex, 7-1.

The Bulldogs success has been fueled by their play on both sides of the ball, particularly in the circle. Through the first 26 games of the 2017 campaign, Mississippi State has tossed 10 shutouts and holds a 0.96 ERA, which ranks fourth in the SEC and seventh nationally.

Senior right-hander Cassady Knudsen leads the staff with an 8-1 record in the circle with a 0.83 ERA, which ranks eighth in the conference. Knudsen has struck out at least 10 batters in five of her nine starts and holds an 11.6 strikeouts per seven innings average, which ranks third in the NCAA.

The Bulldog offense has seen a spark in production over the recent week, scoring at least seven runs over the last six games with four run-rule victories over the streak. The Bulldogs hold a .343 batting average at the plate, which ranks 10^th nationally, with 52 doubles, 19 triples and 23 home runs for a .535 slugging percentage, which is second in the conference. MSU ranks second nationally as it is average two doubles per game.

Leading the way is freshman Mia Davidson, who has anchored the offense for the Bulldogs. She is lone Bulldog this season to record at least 20 hits, runs scored and RBIs. She currently leads the SEC with nine home runs and a .928 slugging percentage.

LAST TIME OUT
Mississippi State notched its 11th consecutive win with an 7-1 victory over Memphis at the Tiger Softball Complex on Wednesday night. The Tigers struck first with a first-inning home run, but the Bulldogs battled to score seven unanswered runs. Four Bulldogs turned in multi-hit games, led by Morgan Bell who racked up five RBIs with help of her second grand slam of the season.

Wednesday, March 14
Mississippi State def. Missouri, 7-1 (Box Score, Recap)

SERIES HISTORY
Against Missouri
Overall: 2-10
In Columbia: 1-2
Last Meeting: Missouri def. Mississippi State, 9-2 (May 1, 2016 in Starkville)
Current Streak: Missouri, +5

MAMA MIA!
To say that Mia Davidson has had hot start to her freshman season would be an understatement. Not only has Davidson proven to be a spark to MSU offense's early success, but she has also ranks as one of the top hitters amongst the conference.

Davidson currently ranks in the top 10 in the Southeastern Conference in nine offensive categories, including leading the conference in home runs (9), slugging percentage (.928) and total bases (77). Davidson also ranks fourth in doubles (9), fifth in hits (37) and 10th in batting average (.446). She is the only Bulldogs on the team to record 20 or more hits, runs scored and RBIs this season.

BOMB SQUAD
For the second time this season, Mississippi State tied a Nusz Park record after hitting three home runs in a single game against Illinois on March 9. MSU first matched the feat on March 3 against Mercer.

As a team the Bulldogs have hit 23 home runs, which ranks tied for fifth in the Southeastern Conference. Freshman Mia Davidson leads the team and the SEC with a total of nine home runs through the first 26 games of the season. Davidson currently ranks 12th nationally in the category. Three Bulldogs have also knocked the first home runs of their career this season: Carmen Carter, Macey Petrey and Bevia Robinson.

SHUTDOWN STAFF
MSU's pitching staff has tossed 10 shutouts, including eight complete-game shutouts, over the first 26 games of the season. MSU set a program record by opening 2018 with five straight shutout victories. The Bulldog staff was just one of three teams, joining Alabama and Lipscomb, to shut out opponents in every contest over opening weekend.

Entering the sixth week of the season, MSU ranks seventh in the country and fourth in the SEC with a 0.96 ERA, allowing just 23 runs over 168.0 innings this season.

WARD UP
Holly Ward's impressive start to her senior season has moved her into the MSU career record book. With a shutout against Sam Houston State (3/4), Ward tossed her eighth shutout of her career, moving her in a tied for seventh all-time with Alison Owen (2013-14) and Kim Davis (1985-86). Ward has notched three save outings this season, bringing her career total to six, which ranks tied for 7th in school history. Ward has now struck out a total of 270 batters to rank eighth all-time in MSU history. She is just 17 strikeouts away from jumping Kylie Vry for seventh place. Ward also ranks ninth in school history with a 5.51 strikeouts per seven innings average.

LET'S GO STREAKING
With its win at Memphis, Mississippi State extended its win streak to 11 consecutive games, which is tied for the sixth-longest winning streak in program history. Mississippi State has strung together a 10-game win streak on two previous occasions, the last of which ran from Feb. 8 to Feb. 17, 2008.

RING THE BELL
Morgan Bell continues to rack up the RBI opportunities as she slugged her second grand slam of the 2018 season at Memphis (3/14) for her second five-RBI performance, tying her career high. The grand slam was the third of Bell's career which ties Jessica Cooley for the program record.

Bell racked up a total of 17 RBIs over MSU's last seven games. She is the second Bulldogs this season to record five or more RBI in the single game, joining Reggie Harrison who drove in five runs against Nebraska on Feb. 22.

WEATHER
Friday's Forecast – Thunderstorms, 90 Degrees (90%)
Saturday's Forecast – Cloudy, 44 Degrees (20%)
Sunday's Forecast – Mostly Cloudy, 58 Degrees (0%)

WATCH LIVE
Friday's SEC opener with be broadcasted on the SEC Network + with Ben Arnet and Kirsten Mack on the call. The final two games of the series will be nationally televised on the SEC Network with Trey Bender and Carol Bruggeman on the call.

Game One: Mississippi State at Missouri (SEC Network +)
Game Two: Mississippi State at Missouri (SEC Network)
Game Three: Mississippi State at Missouri (SEC Network)

LIVE STATS
Missouri will provide live stats for all three games of the weekend series, which can be accessed in the link below.

Mississippi State at Missouri Live Stats

ON DECK
The Bulldogs return home on Wednesday, March to open a four-game swing at Nusz Park with a midweek contest versus Central Arkansas. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.

FOLLOW THE DAWGS
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".