No. 25 Bulldogs Drop Game Two in Columbia

Saturday, April 28

Columbia, S.C.

11:00 AM

Mississippi State

34-17, 6-14

#14 South Carolina

40-11, 13-7

Mississippi State

South Carolina

Candace Denis toss four innings of relief for the Bulldogs, allowing just two runs.

No. 25 Bulldogs Drop Game Two in Columbia

April 28, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 25 Mississippi State (34-17, 6-14 SEC) plated a run in the first, but No. 13 South Carolina (40-11, 13-7) scored eight unanswered runs to clinch the series win on Saturday at the Carolina Softball Stadium.

The Bulldogs knocked four singles in the contest with their lone run scoring on a Gamecock error in the first inning.

Senior Cassady Knudsen was charged with the loss. The right-hander faced six batters in the first inning, allowing three hits, three hit by pitches and six runs.

Junior Emily Heimberger led off the first inning with a walk before moving into scoring positon on a bunt single by junior Kat Moore. A fly ball to center appeared to get the Gamecocks out of the inning unscathed, but a mishandled catch allowed the ball to fall and bring a MSU run home.

The Gamecocks responded in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with no outs with a double, singles and a hit by pitch. Alyssa VanDerveer gave USC its first lead of the game with a grand slam to left field.

USC put two more on board via hit by pitches before the Bulldogs made a change in the circle with sophomore Candace Denis. Denis recorded the first out of the inning with a fielder's choice to shortstop, but the Gamecocks added its fifth run of the first with an RBI double to center.

Senior Calyn Adams picked up the second out of the inning with a fielder's choice at second, flipping to freshman Mia Davidson at home to prevent a run. Davidson would throw down to second during the next at bat to try to throw out a runner, but a Gamecock runner at third would also steal home to score on the play, capping the six-run first for USC.

Denis tossed three innings of scoreless relief until the bottom the bottom of the fifth as Kennedy Clark homered after a lead-off walk to push the USC lead to 8-1, forcing the Bulldogs to make a second pitching change in freshman Emily Williams. Williams forced three ground balls to retire the side and limit the damage.

The Bulldogs managed one base runner in the final two innings with a two-out single by junior Sarai Niu as the Gamecocks took game two to claim the series.

SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Friday, April 27 – No. 13 South Carolina def. No. 25 Mississippi State, 5-2
Saturday, April 28 – No. 13 South Carolina def. No. 25 Mississippi State, 8-1
Sunday, April 29 – No. 25 Mississippi State at No. 13 South Carolina (12 p.m. CT)

WATCH LIVE
Sunday's series finale will be streamed on the SEC Network +, available on WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.

Sunday, April 29 – No. 25 Mississippi State at No. 13 South Carolina (SECN+)

LIVE STATS
South Carolina will provide live stats for the final game of the weekend series, which may be accessed through the link below.

No. 25 Mississippi State at South Carolina Live Stats

ADMISSION
Tickets for this weekend's series at the Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field can be purchased online. Single-game tickets are $7 for adults and #4 for youth.

ON DECK
No. 25 Mississippi State looks to prevent a series sweep on Sunday, April 29. First pitch in the final road test of the regular season is set for 12 p.m. CT.

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".