No. 22 MSU Drops Saturday Doubleheader to No. 5 Florida

Saturday, April 21

Starkville

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

33-14, 0

#5 Florida (DH-1)

40-7, 0

Florida

Mississippi State

Junior Sarai Niu plated Mississippi State's only runs over Saturday's doubleheader.

Photo by: Blake Williams/MSU Athletics

No. 22 MSU Drops Saturday Doubleheader to No. 5 Florida

April 21, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Game One Box Score Game One Box Score (PDF) Game Two Box Score Game Two Box Score (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss – Wrapping up Super Bulldog Weekend with a doubleheader with No. 5 Florida (41-7, 15-3 SEC), No. 22 Mississippi State (33-15, 6-12 SEC) dropped both contests Saturday at Nusz Park as the Gators swept the series.

Game on of Saturday's slate was locked at 1-1 in the top of the fourth until Amanda Lorenz slugged grand slam that would help lift Florida to a 6-2 victory. Senior Holly Ward took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Saturday's second game, but the Gators would come out on top 3-0.

Junior Kat Moore led the Bulldogs at the plate over the two-game slate, going 3-for-4 at the plate. Junior Sarai Niu drove in a team-high two RBIs over the doubleheader.

After trading a scoreless first, Florida scored the first run of Saturday's doubleheader with a Janell Wheaton home run in the top of the second. The Bulldogs would answer in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with single by redshirt junior Bevia Robinson, a double from Moore and an intentional walk to freshman Mia Davidson. Niu would lock the game up with a ground out to first base.

The Gators took advantage of a Mississippi State error and loaded the bases with back-to-back singles before Lorenz plated four unearned runs with a grand slam to right center. The Gators would add a run in the top of the sixth with an RBI double.

Mississippi State tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh, leading off the inning with back-to-back singles by Robinson and Moore. A Florida error allowed both runners to move into scoring position before Niu brought in the second run of the game with a ground out to second. The Gators made the final out at first on a ground ball to take the game and clinch the series.

Senior Cassady Knudsen tossed the complete game to open Saturday's doubleheader. She allowed just two earned runs off eight hits and six walks. She struck out five in the contest.

The series finale featured a pitching duel between Ward and Florida's Kelly Barnhill. The duo combined to allow just five hits over the contest.

Ward would hold the Gators scoreless until the top of the third when an error on a field pick-off attempt brought home an unearned run. Ward would respond, retiring 12 consecutive Gators, to take a no-hitter into the seventh and keep the Bulldog in the game.

The Gators would lead off the seventh with a fielding error before knocking their first hit of the game, an RBI double to right field. Florida would add its final run of the game off a sacrifice fly. Senior Reggie Harrison's one-out single in the seventh would be all MSU could string together as the Gators swept the series.

RECORD CROWD FOR #SBW18
The best fans in the nation brought in a record crowd for Saturday's first game of the doubleheader slate as 1,562 fans packed Nusz Park for the third-largest crows in program history. The crowd was the largest since April 16, 2016 when the Bulldog faithful set the program record with 1,612 fans versus LSU.

ON DECK
Mississippi State hits the road for the final time this season, beginning a four-game road tilt at Troy on Wednesday, April 25. The final midweek contest of the season is slated for a 6 p.m. CT start.

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