Saturday, February 16
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
12:30 PM
Mississippi State
6-3
11
vs
3
Central Florida
3-4
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Central Florida
2
1
0
0
0
3
5
1
Mississippi State
0
10
0
0
1
11
15
2
In two plate appearances in the second inning, Kat Moore tripled and hit a home run.
Second-Inning Slugfest Carries Bulldogs to Run-Rule Win over UCF
February 16, 2019 | Softball
by Taylor Shirey, Assistant Director/Communications
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Trailing 3-0, Mississippi State softball strung together a phenomenal two-out rally in the second inning to plate 10 runs en route to top UCF, 11-3, in five innings Saturday at Nancy Almaraz Field.
With two outs, MSU (6-3) tallied nine consecutive hits to plate nine of its 10 runs scored in the second inning. Every Bulldog hitter in the lineup recorded a hit in the second inning, led by senior outfielder Kat Moore who tripled and then later knocked her first home run of the game.
State's 10 runs were the most ever scored in an inning at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge since Nevada tallied 11 against Southern Illinois on Feb. 28, 2019.
Sophomore catcher Mia Davidson led State at the plate as she went 3-for-3 with two RBIS and a run score. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Davidson recorded the walk-off hit by pitch to secure the game.
Junior pitcher Alyssa Loza picked up the win to improve to 2-1. In the complete game performance, Loza allowed three runs, one earned, off five hits, a walk and hit by pitch. She struck out three in the contest.
The Knights struck first in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out via a hit by pitch, a Bulldog fielding error at third and a single to center field. Loza forced a ground ball back to her, flipping to Mia Davidson for the second out, but she couldn't field the next ball with a muffed throw at first allowing two runs to score.
UCF added to its leas in the top of the second with a one-run double from Jazmine Esparza.
Moore ignited State's monster second inning with a one-out triple to left field, her third three-base hit of the season. Redshirt sophomore Montana Davidson brought her home with a ground to shortstop.
Redshirt freshman Kinsey Goelz and junior Candace Denis both go on base with singles before senior Emily Heimberger cleared the bases with a triple to right field to lock the game up at 3-3.
Senior Bevia Robinson followed with a single of her own to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game. After a Mia Davidson RBI single to center, junior Fa Leilua homered for the sixth time this season with a shot to left field, forcing the Knights to make a pitching change.
State continued to lay on the offense with an infield single from senior Sarai Niu. In her second plate appearance on the inning, Moore homered to center to give State a 9-3 lead. A Montana Davidson double to right center put a Bulldog in scoring position for Goelz, who picked up the first RBI of her career with a single to center.
Loza would retire eight of the last nine of next 10 batters she faced, only allowed an infield single in the top of the fifth.
MSU would load the bases in the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single from Denis, a fielder's choice from Heimberger that allowed Denis beat out the throw at second and a walk to Robinson. Mia Davidson would take the hit by pitch to bring in the winning run and cap the run-rule 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 def. UCF, 11-3 (5 inn.)
On Deck
MSU returns to Starkville on Wednesday, Feb. 20 for its first midweek contest of the season as the Bulldogs welcome Alabama State to Nusz Park. First pitch on the SEC Network + is set for 5:30 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".
--HailState.com--
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Trailing 3-0, Mississippi State softball strung together a phenomenal two-out rally in the second inning to plate 10 runs en route to top UCF, 11-3, in five innings Saturday at Nancy Almaraz Field.
With two outs, MSU (6-3) tallied nine consecutive hits to plate nine of its 10 runs scored in the second inning. Every Bulldog hitter in the lineup recorded a hit in the second inning, led by senior outfielder Kat Moore who tripled and then later knocked her first home run of the game.
State's 10 runs were the most ever scored in an inning at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge since Nevada tallied 11 against Southern Illinois on Feb. 28, 2019.
Sophomore catcher Mia Davidson led State at the plate as she went 3-for-3 with two RBIS and a run score. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Davidson recorded the walk-off hit by pitch to secure the game.
Junior pitcher Alyssa Loza picked up the win to improve to 2-1. In the complete game performance, Loza allowed three runs, one earned, off five hits, a walk and hit by pitch. She struck out three in the contest.
The Knights struck first in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out via a hit by pitch, a Bulldog fielding error at third and a single to center field. Loza forced a ground ball back to her, flipping to Mia Davidson for the second out, but she couldn't field the next ball with a muffed throw at first allowing two runs to score.
UCF added to its leas in the top of the second with a one-run double from Jazmine Esparza.
Moore ignited State's monster second inning with a one-out triple to left field, her third three-base hit of the season. Redshirt sophomore Montana Davidson brought her home with a ground to shortstop.
Redshirt freshman Kinsey Goelz and junior Candace Denis both go on base with singles before senior Emily Heimberger cleared the bases with a triple to right field to lock the game up at 3-3.
Senior Bevia Robinson followed with a single of her own to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game. After a Mia Davidson RBI single to center, junior Fa Leilua homered for the sixth time this season with a shot to left field, forcing the Knights to make a pitching change.
State continued to lay on the offense with an infield single from senior Sarai Niu. In her second plate appearance on the inning, Moore homered to center to give State a 9-3 lead. A Montana Davidson double to right center put a Bulldog in scoring position for Goelz, who picked up the first RBI of her career with a single to center.
Loza would retire eight of the last nine of next 10 batters she faced, only allowed an infield single in the top of the fifth.
MSU would load the bases in the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single from Denis, a fielder's choice from Heimberger that allowed Denis beat out the throw at second and a walk to Robinson. Mia Davidson would take the hit by pitch to bring in the winning run and cap the run-rule 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 def. UCF, 11-3 (5 inn.)
On Deck
MSU returns to Starkville on Wednesday, Feb. 20 for its first midweek contest of the season as the Bulldogs welcome Alabama State to Nusz Park. First pitch on the SEC Network + is set for 5:30 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".
--HailState.com--
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Loza, Alyssa (2-1)
L: WHITE, Alea (1-3)
Batting:
2B: ESPARZA, Jazmine 1 ; JULYLIA, Savannah 1
RBI: ESPARZA, Jazmine 1 ; JOHNSON, Aubrey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ESPARZA, Jazmine 1 ; BEJARANO, Hayley 1 ; JULYLIA, Savannah 1
HBP: GLOVER, Tamesha 1
Batting:
2B: Davidson, Montana 1
3B: Heimberger, Emily 1 ; Moore, Kat 1
HR: Leilua, Fa 1 ; Moore, Kat 1
RBI: Heimberger, Emily 2 ; Robinson, Bevia 1 ; Davidson, Mia 2 ; Leilua, Fa 2 ; Moore, Kat 2 ; Davidson, Montana 1 ; Goelz, Kinsey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Heimberger, Emily 1 ; Robinson, Bevia 1 ; Davidson, Mia 1 ; Leilua, Fa 1 ; Niu, Sarai 1 ; Moore, Kat 2 ; Davidson, Montana 1 ; Goelz, Kinsey 1 ; Denis, Candace 2
SB: Robinson, Bevia 1
HBP: Davidson, Mia 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
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