Friday, February 14
Starkville
3:00 PM
Mississippi State
5-1
1
vs
2
Tulsa
6-0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Tulsa
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
6
0
Mississippi State
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
1
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
State Splits Opening Day of Bulldog Kickoff Classic
February 14, 2020 | Softball
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Annie Willis struck out a career-high 11 batters as Mississippi State rebounded from a tournament opening loss with a 6-0 victory to go 1-1 on the first day of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic.
The Bulldogs fell, 2-1, against Tulsa on Friday afternoon, with Mia Davidson providing their only scoring on a solo homer to center field. Grace Fagan took her first loss of the year, throwing 4.1 innings and striking out six.
"I was disappointed with the energy that we came out with the first game," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We challenged the girls to come back in game two, and I thought they did a much better job of coming out and being locked in from pitch one. It helps when Annie pitches the way that she does. She is doing a really good job of getting herself out of jams. That is the first time we had the pitcher throw out all seven, and that is something we are going to need down the stretch."
In the nightcap, MSU (6-1) tallied four extra-base hits, including a two-run homer from Candace Denis and the Bulldogs' second triple of the year from Christian Quinn. Willis was magnificent, scattering six hits in a complete game shutout while allowing just one walk.
Fa Leilua went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles in the second game. Joining Leilua and Quinn in driving in runs were Chloe Malau'ulu and Anna Kate Segars. Segars is now 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs when called upon as a pinch hitter this year.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday with two more games. State closes round-robin play against Tennessee State (1-5) at 12:30 p.m. CT. The teams will then be seeded with the No. 1 vs. No. 4 game set for 3 p.m., and the No. 2 vs. No. 3 game slated for 5:30 p.m.
If MSU defeats Tennessee State and Tulsa (6-0) defeats North Alabama (5-1), the Bulldogs would be the No. 2 seed and play No. 3 North Alabama in the last game of the day. If both North Alabama and MSU were to win, a three-team tie-breaker would be used to determine seeding.
Candace Denis – Hit her second home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field … Also stole a base in Game 1.
Fa Leilua – Turned in her fourth multi-hit game of the year with a pair of doubles against North Alabama.
Jackie McKenna – Recorded her first career hit with a pinch-hit single past the third baseman against Tulsa … Hit came on the two-year anniversary of the mass shooting at her high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, in Parkland, Florida.
Christian Quinn – Posted her first career multi-hit game against North Alabama and raced around the pillows for her first triple … Also drove in a run.
Annie Willis – Threw State's first seven-inning complete game of the year and the Bulldogs' second shutout … Has not allowed an earned run this season … Struck out 11 while walking one.
Makayla Jackson singled through the left side, and Grace Jarvis came on to pinch run. Kylie Norwood then singled to left field advancing Jarvis to second. With one out, Chenise Delce singled to load the bases. Alexis Perry hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jarvis and allowing Norwood to move to third. Norwood later scored on a wild pitch.
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 5
Mia Davidson homer to right-center field.
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State1
Candace Denis reached first base on an error by the shortstop. Fa Leilua drove an RBI double to left field to score Denis.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 2
Bottom 3
Christian Quinn led off with a triple into the right-center gap. The next batter, Candace Denis homered to right field. With one out, Fa Leilua doubled to right center on a full count. Chloe Malau'ulu singled to left, scoring Leilua, before advancing to second on the throw.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 4
Bottom 6
With two outs, Jackie McKenna reached on a pinch-hit single past the third baseman. Madisyn Kennedy re-entered to run at first base. Kennedy advanced to second when Montana Davidson reached on an infield error. Anna Kate Segars pinch hit and singled to score Kennedy. Montana Davidson advanced to third on the play before scoring on Christian Quinn's single up the middle.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 6
North Alabama 9, Tennessee State 1 (5 inn.)
Tulsa 2, Tennessee State 0
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State 1
Mississippi State 6, North Alabama 0
Saturday, Feb. 15
Tulsa vs. North Alabama – 10 a.m.
Tennessee State at Mississippi State – 12:30 p.m.
No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 seed – 3 p.m.
No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 16
Consolation – 11 a.m.
Championship – 1:30 p.m.
This weekend features trivia at each MSU game of the tournament. Each individual trivia game winner will be entered to win a grand prize at the end of the season, with more wins earning contestants more entries. The Bulldog Kickoff Classic's trivia will focus on Mississippi history on Saturday and U.S. history on Sunday.
The Deck will offer free hot chocolate on Saturday. On Sunday, fans are invited to join the Bulldogs for brunch at the ballpark.
STARKVILLE – Annie Willis struck out a career-high 11 batters as Mississippi State rebounded from a tournament opening loss with a 6-0 victory to go 1-1 on the first day of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic.
The Bulldogs fell, 2-1, against Tulsa on Friday afternoon, with Mia Davidson providing their only scoring on a solo homer to center field. Grace Fagan took her first loss of the year, throwing 4.1 innings and striking out six.
"I was disappointed with the energy that we came out with the first game," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We challenged the girls to come back in game two, and I thought they did a much better job of coming out and being locked in from pitch one. It helps when Annie pitches the way that she does. She is doing a really good job of getting herself out of jams. That is the first time we had the pitcher throw out all seven, and that is something we are going to need down the stretch."
In the nightcap, MSU (6-1) tallied four extra-base hits, including a two-run homer from Candace Denis and the Bulldogs' second triple of the year from Christian Quinn. Willis was magnificent, scattering six hits in a complete game shutout while allowing just one walk.
Fa Leilua went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles in the second game. Joining Leilua and Quinn in driving in runs were Chloe Malau'ulu and Anna Kate Segars. Segars is now 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs when called upon as a pinch hitter this year.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday with two more games. State closes round-robin play against Tennessee State (1-5) at 12:30 p.m. CT. The teams will then be seeded with the No. 1 vs. No. 4 game set for 3 p.m., and the No. 2 vs. No. 3 game slated for 5:30 p.m.
If MSU defeats Tennessee State and Tulsa (6-0) defeats North Alabama (5-1), the Bulldogs would be the No. 2 seed and play No. 3 North Alabama in the last game of the day. If both North Alabama and MSU were to win, a three-team tie-breaker would be used to determine seeding.
Quick Hitters
Mia Davidson – Extended her hitting streak to six games with a solo home run against Tulsa … Had her first hitless game of 2020 in the nightcap.Candace Denis – Hit her second home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field … Also stole a base in Game 1.
Fa Leilua – Turned in her fourth multi-hit game of the year with a pair of doubles against North Alabama.
Jackie McKenna – Recorded her first career hit with a pinch-hit single past the third baseman against Tulsa … Hit came on the two-year anniversary of the mass shooting at her high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, in Parkland, Florida.
Christian Quinn – Posted her first career multi-hit game against North Alabama and raced around the pillows for her first triple … Also drove in a run.
Annie Willis – Threw State's first seven-inning complete game of the year and the Bulldogs' second shutout … Has not allowed an earned run this season … Struck out 11 while walking one.
vs. Tulsa Scoring Recap
Top 3Makayla Jackson singled through the left side, and Grace Jarvis came on to pinch run. Kylie Norwood then singled to left field advancing Jarvis to second. With one out, Chenise Delce singled to load the bases. Alexis Perry hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jarvis and allowing Norwood to move to third. Norwood later scored on a wild pitch.
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 5
Mia Davidson homer to right-center field.
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State1
vs. North Alabama Scoring Recap
Bottom 1Candace Denis reached first base on an error by the shortstop. Fa Leilua drove an RBI double to left field to score Denis.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 2
Bottom 3
Christian Quinn led off with a triple into the right-center gap. The next batter, Candace Denis homered to right field. With one out, Fa Leilua doubled to right center on a full count. Chloe Malau'ulu singled to left, scoring Leilua, before advancing to second on the throw.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 4
Bottom 6
With two outs, Jackie McKenna reached on a pinch-hit single past the third baseman. Madisyn Kennedy re-entered to run at first base. Kennedy advanced to second when Montana Davidson reached on an infield error. Anna Kate Segars pinch hit and singled to score Kennedy. Montana Davidson advanced to third on the play before scoring on Christian Quinn's single up the middle.
North Alabama 0, Mississippi State 6
Bulldog Kickoff Classic Schedule
Friday, Feb. 14 North Alabama 9, Tennessee State 1 (5 inn.)
Tulsa 2, Tennessee State 0
Tulsa 2, Mississippi State 1
Mississippi State 6, North Alabama 0
Saturday, Feb. 15
Tulsa vs. North Alabama – 10 a.m.
Tennessee State at Mississippi State – 12:30 p.m.
No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 seed – 3 p.m.
No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 16
Consolation – 11 a.m.
Championship – 1:30 p.m.
Admission/Promotions
Admission to all MSU softball home games is free.This weekend features trivia at each MSU game of the tournament. Each individual trivia game winner will be entered to win a grand prize at the end of the season, with more wins earning contestants more entries. The Bulldog Kickoff Classic's trivia will focus on Mississippi history on Saturday and U.S. history on Sunday.
The Deck will offer free hot chocolate on Saturday. On Sunday, fans are invited to join the Bulldogs for brunch at the ballpark.
On Deck
MSU will head to Hammond, Louisiana, on Tuesday, Feb. 18 to meet SE Louisiana. The team will travel directly from Louisiana to Palm Springs, California, for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Feb. 20-22.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DELCE, Chenise (3-0)
L: Fagan, Grace (2-1)
S: SCOTT, Kassidy (2)
Batting:
2B: JACKSON, Makayla 1
RBI: PERRY, Alexis 1
SF: PERRY, Alexis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NORWOOD, Kylie 1 ; JARVIS, Grace 1
Batting:
HR: Davidson, Mia 1
RBI: Davidson, Mia 1
SH: Kennedy, Madisyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davidson, Mia 1
SB: Denis, Candace 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
lf/dp
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballP/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ Softball
P
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