No. 21 Mississippi State Falls in Series Finale Against No. 7 Georgia

Sunday, March 25

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

27-6, 0

#7 Georgia

29-3, 0

Georgia

Mississippi State

Sarai Niu plated both of No. 21 Mississippi State runs in Sunday's series finale against No. 7 Georgia.

Photo by: Blake Williams/MSU Athletics

No. 21 Mississippi State Falls in Series Finale Against No. 7 Georgia

March 25, 2018 | Softball

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 21 Mississippi State (27-6, 3-3 SEC) took lead into the seventh inning for the third consecutive game of the series against No, 7 Georgia (29-4, 7-3), but UGA knocked a two-RBI single in the top of the seventh to rally for a 3-2 victory Sunday to claim the series at Nusz Park.

Senior Cassady Knudsen was tough in the circle, allowing just one unearned run until the sixth inning. She closed the game allowing three runs, two earned, off four hits, seven walks and five strikeouts as she fell to 10-3 on the season. Senior Holly Ward recorded the final three outs, allowing one hit.

At the plate, senior Calyn Adams turned in the lone multi-hit outing of the game as she went 2-for-3 with two doubles. Junior Sarai Niu turned in a 1-for-3 outing with two RBIs. Her lone hit was a second-inning home run, the first homer allowed the season by Georgia's Brittany Gray.

After a scoreless first, Mississippi State broke through in the top of the second with a solo home run to deep left center off the bat of Niu. Georgia would look the game in the top of the third, taking advantage of an MSU error and walk with an RBI single by Alysen Febrey to tie the game up at 1-1.

Knudsen and Gray would trade shutdown fourth and fifth innings to keep the game knotted until the bottom of the sixth. State led off the inning with back-to-back singles to left field by junior Kat Moore and freshman Mia Davidson. Senior Morgan Bell moved both runners into scoring position with a ground out to second before Niu put MSU back on top with an RBI fielder's choice.

After an infield single and walk to lead off the top of the seventh, Mississippi State brought Holly Ward into the game. Ward forced a comebacker, throwing to third for the first out and retiring the lead runner before forcing a groundout at third base for the second out. For the third straight game, Georgia rallied with two outs in the bottom of the seventh with a Ciara Bryan two-RBI single to right field to take a 3-2 lead.

Gray would record a perfect frame in the bottom of the inning to prevent a MSU comeback.

GEORGIA SERIES RESULTS
Friday, March 23 – No. 7 Georgia def. No. 21 Mississippi State, 4-2
Saturday, March 24 – No. 21 Mississippi State def. No. 7 Georgia. 5-4
Sunday, March 24 – No. 7 Georgia def. No. 21 Mississippi State, 3-2

ON DECK
Mississippi State will look to bounce back on the road on Tuesday, March 27 as the Bulldogs travel to Montgomery, Ala., for a nonconference tilt against Alabama State.

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