No. 18 Bulldogs Blank Alabama State for Midweek Road Win

Tuesday, March 27

Montgomery, Ala.

5:00 PM

Mississippi State

28-6

Alabama State

11-22

Miss State

Alabama State

Mia Davidson went 2-for-3 at the plate with her 12th home run of her freshman season.

No. 18 Bulldogs Blank Alabama State for Midweek Road Win

March 27, 2018 | Softball

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Behind slugging power by the freshmen class and the 13^th shutout by the MSU pitching staff, No. 18 Mississippi State (28-6) bounced back with an 11-0 victory against Alabama State Tuesday night at Barbara Williams Softball Complex.

Freshman Emily Williams earned the start, tossing the first three innings. The right-hander allowed just one hits and two walks while striking out five. Sophomore Candace Denis recorded the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. Denis tossed three innings allowing one hit and one walk with four strikeouts.

At the plate, Mississippi State was able to spread the love as multiple underclassman made appearances. Freshman Mia Davidson led the Bulldogs at the plate going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Freshman Grace Dabbs also recorded a big hit for the Bulldogs with an inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh.

The Bulldogs got two runners on early in the first inning with a walk and hit by pitch. Junior Sarai Niu brought home the first run of the game with an RBI single to right field. Davidson scored on a wild pitch, senior Reggie Harrison cleared the bases with a double to left field. Senior Carmen Carter brought in the final run of the first inning with an RBI single to the shortstop to put MSU up 4-0.

With redshirt junior Bevia Robinson on base after a single through the left side, Davidson slugged her 12^th home run of the season with a shot to left field to put MSU up 6-0 in the top of the second. The Bulldogs followed the homer by getting two Bulldogs on base with a walk and an ASU error before senior Morgan Bell drove in a run with an RBI groundout to shortstop.

The Bulldogs and Hornets would trade four scoreless innings before Mississippi State added insurance runs in the top of the seventh. A Davidson single through the left side and walks to freshman O'Neil Roberson and senior Calyn Adams loaded the bases with one out. Davidson would score on a wild pitch for the second time against the Hornets before Dabbs cleared the bases with an inside the park home run, the first homer of her career, to push the lead to 11-0.

Redshirt freshmen Emily Mitchell made her collegiate debut, tossing the final inning of the game. Mitchell needed just six pitches to retire the side in order with help of a double play.

HORNET REPELLANT
Mississippi State has now shut out Alabama State in all four contests over the series history, outscoring the Hornets, 69-0.

SLUGGING TOWARDS HISTORY
Just 34 games into her freshman season, Mia Davidson has already etched her name into the record books. Davidson slugged her 12th home run of the season at Alabama State (3/27). Her 12 home runs are the most by any Bulldog since Caroline Seitz slugged 13 over the 2015 season. Her 12 home runs are also the third-most ever hit by a MSU freshman as Davidson ranks only behind Kelli Wilkerson (13, 1999) and Courtney Bures (17, 2005). Davidson is just one homer away from moving into a four-way tie for fifth in single-season home runs.

ON DECK
No. 18 Mississippi State returns to conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Arkansas. The series begins on Friday, March 30 with a 6:00 p.m. CT. Both contests set for Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1 are set for 1 p.m. CT start times. All three games will be streamed on the SEC Network +.

FOLLOW THE DAWGS
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