Bulldogs Fall in Extras to No. 17/13 Auburn

Saturday, March 23

Starkville

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

20-9, 0

#17 Auburn

27-5, 0

Auburn

Mississippi State

Carter Spexarth led Mississippi State at the plate with a career-high three hits.

Bulldogs Fall in Extras to No. 17/13 Auburn

March 23, 2019 | Softball

Box Score Box Score Box Score (PDF)

by Taylor Shirey, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Locked 1-1 after seven innings, Mississippi State softball (20-9, 1-4 SEC) forced extra innings against No. 17/13 Auburn (27-5, 4-1 SEC), but a sixth-run eighth inning lifted the Tigers to a 7-4 victory Saturday at Nusz Park to even up the series.

The Bulldogs plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the comeback fell short as the Tigers claimed game two of the series.

Four Bulldogs turned in multi-hit outings for State as sophomore Carter Spexarth led MSU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three singles and an RBI. It was the upperclassmen that drove in the remaining runs of the game headed by junior Fa Leilau who picked up two extra-base hits with a double and her 15^th home run of the season.

Freshman Kayla Boseman tossed 7.2 innings against the Tigers and allowed just one unearned run until the top of the eighth inning. She allowed 11 hits and seven total runs – giving up six hits and six runs in the eighth. The right-hander struck three in the contest as she fell to 2-2 on the season.

After two scoreless innings, Mississippi State broke through in the third as Leilua knocked a one-out double to move into scoring position. Spexarth singled through the left side to bring Leilua home and advanced to second on the play at the plate before stumbling into the final out of the inning trying to return to second base.

State would hold on to its 1-0 lead until the sixth inning, a one-out single to left for Alyssa Rivera and a passed ball but a Tiger into scoring position. Kendall Veached beat out an infield single to shortstop to plate the unearned run and lock the game up at 1-1.

MSU led off the seventh with back-to-back singles by sophomore Montana Davidson and senior Sarai Niu, but the Tigers forced three straight fly outs to center to retire the side to send the games to extra innings.

After loading the bases with one out, Auburn scored the go-ahead run with a sacrifice to right field from Veach. With two outs, Auburn would plate five additional runs on five straight hits to take a 7-1 lead.

Freshman left-hander Grace Fagan entered and limited the damage with a fly out to center.

State rallied in the bottom of the eight leading off the inning with back-to-back home runs from Leilua and senior Kat Moore to cut the score to 7-3.

After an Auburn pitching change, Spexarth singled to right field and was lifted for pinch runner Chloe Malau'ulu. Malau'ulu moved into scoring positon off a sacrifice bunt from junior Candace Denis and to third on a ground out back to the pitcher.

Niu doubled down the left field line to plate Malau'ulu and cut the lead to 7-4. Senior Emily Heimberger followed up with a single through the left side to put Bulldogs on the corners with two outs, but a strikeout from Auburn's Ashlee Swindle snuffed out the comeback.

THE LIGHTNING STRIKES
Fa Leilua kept in stride with her teammate Mia Davidson as the duo both have knocked 15 home runs this season. The two are now in a three-way tie for fourth in single-season history with Jessica Cooley (2012). Davidson set the single-season record as a freshman last season with 19.

AUBURN SERIES SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Friday, March 22
Mississippi State def. No. 17/13 Auburn, 7-6

Saturday, March 23
No. 17/13 Auburn def. Mississippi State, 7-4

Sunday, March 24
Mississippi State vs. No. 17/13 Auburn – 1 p.m. CT

WATCH LIVE
The final game of the series will feature a SEC Network + broadcast with 1 p.m. CT start time. Anthony Craven (play-by-play) and Mississippi State softball alumna Morgan Bell (analyst) will have the call.

Sunday, March 24 – Mississippi State vs. No. 17/13 Auburn (SECN+)

LIVE STATS
Mississippi State will provide live stats for all three games of the weekend series. Live stats can be accessed by visiting www.msu.statbroadcast.com.

ADMISSION
Admission to all regular-season home contests at Nusz Park is FREE.

WEATHER
Sunday: 71 Degrees – Cloudy (10%)

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".