Softball Welcomes LA Tech, MVSU for Bulldog Slamboree; Weather-Alters Tourney Schedule

Friday, March 8

Starkville

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

Mississippi Valley State

Rain has altered the Bulldog Slamboree Tournament with State playing a doubleheader on Friday and Sunday.

Softball Welcomes LA Tech, MVSU for Bulldog Slamboree; Weather-Alters Tourney Schedule

March 07, 2019 | Softball

Game Notes Live Stats

by Taylor Shirey, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – In the final tune-up before kicking off the Southeastern Conference slate, Mississippi State softball (15-5) welcomes Louisiana Tech and Mississippi Valley State to Nusz Park for the Bulldog Slamboree.

Weather has altered the weekend schedule forcing doubleheaders on both Friday, March 8 and Sunday, March 10, while washing out Saturday's slate.

On Friday, the Bulldogs will face the Devilettes at 4 p.m. CT before taking on Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m. CT. MSU will close out the final non-conference weekend of the regular season on Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. CT meeting against Louisiana Tech before facing MVSU at 4 p.m. CT.

Behind a phenomenal debut in the circle from freshman Kayla Boseman, Mississippi State softball (15-5) cruised to a 9-1 victory over UT Martin (9-8) on Tuesday night at Nusz Park.

Boseman, making her collegiate debut with a start in the circle, tossed the complete-game victory, allowing just one run off five hits. After a shaky first inning, Boseman retired 10 consecutive Skyhawks. She closed her debut with 11 strikeouts and did not allow a single walk.

Offensively, it was a team effort for State as eight Bulldogs combined for MSU's 14 hits. Sophomore Mia Davidson led the way as she went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI. Davidson delivered the walk-off victory as he RBI single in the bottom of the sixth drove in the final run.

BULLDOG SLAMBOREE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, March 8
Game One – Mississippi Valley State vs. Mississippi State – 4 p.m. CT
Game Two – Louisiana Tech vs. Mississippi State – 6 p.m. CT

Sunday, March 10
Game Three – Mississippi Valley State vs. Louisiana Tech – 11 a.m. CT
Game Four – Louisiana Tech vs. Mississippi State – 1:30 p.m. CT
Game Five – Mississippi Valley State vs. Mississippi State – 4 p.m. CT

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Against Mississippi Valley State
Overall: Mississippi State leads, 31-1
In Starkville: Mississippi State leads, 23-0
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. Mississippi Valley State, 8-0 [6 innings] (Feb. 11, 2018)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +23

Against Louisiana Tech
Overall: Mississippi State leads, 11-9
In Starkville: Mississippi State leads, 9-7
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. Louisiana Tech, 5-4 (March 24, 2017)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +11

LEADING OFF

In the final contests before the start of conference play, Mississippi State welcomes Mississippi Valley State and Louisiana Tech to Nusz Park for the Bulldog Slamboree.
For the third week, MSU is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
In her eighth season at the helm of the Bulldogs, head coach Vann Stuedeman has collected 256 career wins and is now just 39 shy from tying the program record for most victories by a MSU head coach.
Through the first month of the season, Mia Davidson leads the SEC in five categories - batting average (.537), home runs (12), on-base percentage (.640), slugging percentage (1.241) and total bases (67).
With four triples over the first month of the season, senior Kat Moore leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in the category.
Senior Sarai Niu enters the week with 1,000 career putouts to her credit. She is just the fifth Bulldog in program history to record 1,000 or more putouts over a career.
Totaling 12 home runs through the first 20 games of her sophomore season, Mia Davidson leads all of Division 1 softball in homers this season. With 31 home runs in her career, Davidson ranks 32nd among all active NCAA student-athletes.
The Bulldogs are 8-0 this season when junior Fa Leilua hits a home run. Leilua ranks third in the conference and fifth in all of Division I softball with 10 homers this season.

ON DECK
The Bulldogs open conference place next weekend with a three game series in Lexington, Kentucky against the No. 22 Kentucky. The series begins on Friday, March 5 on the SEC Network +. The final two games of the series are set for 11 a.m. CT start times and both games will be aired on the SEC Network.

WATCH LIVE
This weekend's SEC Network+ schedule will be announced at a later time and will be determined based on scheduling conflicts with other competing sports.

LIVE STAS
Mississippi State will provide live stats for all nine contests of The Bulldogs Slamboree. Live stats can be accessed by visiting www.msu.statbroadcast.com.

ADMISSION
All regular-season contests at Nusz Park are free admission.

WEATHER
Friday: 65 Degrees - Scattered Storms (50%)
Sunday: 69 Degrees - Mostly Cloudy (10%)

Follow the Dawgs
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