Friday, February 15
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
10:00 AM
Mississippi State
5-3
8
vs
5
Sacramento State
3-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Sacramento State
0
0
4
0
0
1
0
5
5
3
Mississippi State
0
1
3
0
1
3
X
8
10
1
For the second time this season, Fa Leilua has recorded a multi-home run game with two against Sacramento State.
Sixth-Inning Rally Lifts No. 25 Bulldogs over Sacramento State
February 15, 2019 | Softball
by Taylor Shirey, Assistant Director/Communications
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – In a back-and-forth contest that went down to the wire, No. 25 Mississippi State softball used a three-run sixth inning to take down Sacramento State on Friday at Nancy Almaraz Field.
With the game locked at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning, redshirt sophomore Montana Davidson plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly before junior Fa Leilua added a two-run home run to give Mississippi State some breathing room.
Leilua closed the game going 2-for-3 with two home runs and a career-high five RBI. It was the second game this season that Leilu has recorded multiple home runs. Redshirt freshman Kinsey Goelz tallied two hits in the contest, both doubles, for the first base hits of her collegiate career.
MSU struck first in the bottom after getting two runners into scoring position after a Hornet error, senior Bevia Robinson grounded out to second to score Goelz to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Sacramento State rallied in the top of the third using a walk, hit by pitch and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. Sophomore Emily Williams fired back with a strikeout, but the Hornets struck together a two-out rally with four singles to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the third getting sophomore Mia Davidson on via an infield single before senior Sarai Niu drew a walk to bring Leilua to the plate. The junior slugged her first homer of the game with a no doubter to left field to lock the game up at 4-4 with one swing.
The game would stay tied until the bottom of the fifth when Goelz, who doubled, scored on a single from Robinson to give MSU the one-run lead. Once again, Sacramento State responded in the top of the sixth with a solo home run from XXX Rasmussen to lock the game back up at 5-5.
It was MSU's sixth inning that put the game away for the Bulldogs. After a walk to Mia Davidson and a fielding error by the Hornets, Montana Davidson drove home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Leilua would slug a two-run home run to push the lead to a decisive 8-5.
In another stellar relief appearance, freshman Grace Fagan (2-1) tossed 4.1 innings in the circle, allowing just one run off two hits and walk, while striking out four to pick up the victory.
2019 Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 14
Game 1 – Southern Illinois def. Mississippi State, 4-1
Game 2 – No. 5 Washington def. Mississippi State, 7-5
Friday, Feb. 15
Game 3 – No. 25 Mississippi State def. Sacramento State, 8-5
Saturday, Feb. 16
Game 4 – No. 25 Mississippi State vs. UCF – 12:30 p.m. CT
On Deck
State closes out the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Saturday against UCF. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. CT.
Watch Live
All four of Mississippi State's contests in Puerto Vallarta will be streamed live via www.FloSoftball.com. A paid subscription is required to access the game feeds.
Live Stats
Mississippi State will provide live stats throughout the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. Live stats can be accessed by visiting www.msu.statbroadcast.com
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".
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – In a back-and-forth contest that went down to the wire, No. 25 Mississippi State softball used a three-run sixth inning to take down Sacramento State on Friday at Nancy Almaraz Field.
With the game locked at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning, redshirt sophomore Montana Davidson plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly before junior Fa Leilua added a two-run home run to give Mississippi State some breathing room.
Leilua closed the game going 2-for-3 with two home runs and a career-high five RBI. It was the second game this season that Leilu has recorded multiple home runs. Redshirt freshman Kinsey Goelz tallied two hits in the contest, both doubles, for the first base hits of her collegiate career.
MSU struck first in the bottom after getting two runners into scoring position after a Hornet error, senior Bevia Robinson grounded out to second to score Goelz to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Sacramento State rallied in the top of the third using a walk, hit by pitch and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. Sophomore Emily Williams fired back with a strikeout, but the Hornets struck together a two-out rally with four singles to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the third getting sophomore Mia Davidson on via an infield single before senior Sarai Niu drew a walk to bring Leilua to the plate. The junior slugged her first homer of the game with a no doubter to left field to lock the game up at 4-4 with one swing.
The game would stay tied until the bottom of the fifth when Goelz, who doubled, scored on a single from Robinson to give MSU the one-run lead. Once again, Sacramento State responded in the top of the sixth with a solo home run from XXX Rasmussen to lock the game back up at 5-5.
It was MSU's sixth inning that put the game away for the Bulldogs. After a walk to Mia Davidson and a fielding error by the Hornets, Montana Davidson drove home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Leilua would slug a two-run home run to push the lead to a decisive 8-5.
In another stellar relief appearance, freshman Grace Fagan (2-1) tossed 4.1 innings in the circle, allowing just one run off two hits and walk, while striking out four to pick up the victory.
2019 Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 14
Game 1 – Southern Illinois def. Mississippi State, 4-1
Game 2 – No. 5 Washington def. Mississippi State, 7-5
Friday, Feb. 15
Game 3 – No. 25 Mississippi State def. Sacramento State, 8-5
Saturday, Feb. 16
Game 4 – No. 25 Mississippi State vs. UCF – 12:30 p.m. CT
On Deck
State closes out the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Saturday against UCF. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. CT.
Watch Live
All four of Mississippi State's contests in Puerto Vallarta will be streamed live via www.FloSoftball.com. A paid subscription is required to access the game feeds.
Live Stats
Mississippi State will provide live stats throughout the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. Live stats can be accessed by visiting www.msu.statbroadcast.com
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".
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fagan, Grace (2-1)
L: Corr, Savanna (2-1)
Batting:
HR: Rasmussen, Sydney 1
RBI: Spieth, Mo 2 ; Brookshire, Suzy 1 ; Rasmussen, Sydney 2
SH: Alas, Nene 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spieth, Mo 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1 ; Rasmussen, Sydney 1 ; Grubert, Kayla 1 ; Graves, Shea 1
CS: Guzman, Charizma 1
HBP: Graves, Shea 1
Batting:
2B: Goelz, Kinsey 2
HR: Leilua, Fa 2
RBI: Davidson, Montana 1 ; Leilua, Fa 5 ; Robinson, Bevia 2
SF: Davidson, Montana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davidson, Mia 1 ; Dabbs, Grace 1 ; Niu, Sarai 1 ; Gregg, Jamie 1 ; Leilua, Fa 2 ; Goelz, Kinsey 2
SB: Heimberger, Emily 1 ; Davidson, Mia 1
HBP: Davidson, Mia 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
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