Thursday, February 20
Palm Springs, Calif.
12:30 PM
Mississippi State
10-1
1
vs
0
Oregon State
7-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Mississippi State
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2
0
Oregon State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Bulldogs Split Pair of Games Against Oregon State, Oregon
February 20, 2020 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Mississippi State's softball team claimed a 1-0 victory against Oregon State before dropping a 7-2 decision to No. 15/17 Oregon at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Thursday.
The first game of the day was an outright pitcher's duel, with the two teams combining for just five total hits. Grace Fagan got the start in the circle and went 5.0 innings, allowing three hits. Fagan struck out seven Beavers before Emily Williams entered and threw 2.0 no-hit innings to earn a save. It was the Bulldogs' (10-1) sixth shutout victory of the year.
Chloe Malau'ulu provided all of the offense against Oregon State (7-3), hitting a solo homer to left field. Anna Kate Segars had State's second hit.
"I thought the pitchers did a great job in the first game of attacking the zone, mixing speeds and keeping them off balance," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We faced a quality team and a tough pitcher. She made one mistake, and Chloe made her pay for it. I thought the defense and everyone backing up Grace and Emily really played well."
Against the Ducks (10-0), MSU took the lead midway through the game, but immediately surrendered in the next half inning. Annie Willis allowed her first earned runs of the year, giving up a triple and a base hit to open the contest.
"The second game, we saw a little bit more of the mental errors, the errors that don't show up on the scoreboard, affect us," Ricketts added. "Decision making and some of that stuff early on, which is why we're trying to get out here and face quality competition that's going to make us lock in on our game plans and be focused for seven innings."
State fought back to score a pair in the fourth with Segars and Aquana Brownlee driving in runs. But in the bottom half of the inning, Oregon brought nine batters to the plate as they rallied for five runs. The Ducks would add an insurance tally in the sixth.
Fa Leilua – Went 2-for-4 with a double for her fifth multi-hit game of the year.
Grace Fagan – Earned her fourth win of the year while striking out seven in 5.0 scoreless innings.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Hit a solo home run for the only run of the game against Oregon State.
Anna Kate Segars – Singled for one of State's two hits against Oregon State … Went 1-for-3 with a RBI against Oregon.
Carter Spexarth – Went 2-for-4 with a run scored against Oregon for her third multi-hit game of the year.
Chloe Malau'ulu homered to left field.
Mississippi State 1, Oregon State 0
Haley Cruse hit a leadoff triple and was brought home immediately by a Terra McGowan single up the middle.
Mississippi State 0, Oregon 1
Top 4
Carter Spexarth led off with a single to right center field. Madisyn Kennedy then drew a walk to put two one with nobody out. Anna Kate Segars drove a liner off the first baseman's glove into right field to score Spexarth and advance Kennedy to third. Aquana Brownlee pinch hit and sent a sacrifice fly into right field to score Kennedy.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 1
Bottom 4
Mya Felder drew a leadoff walk and was pinch ran for at first by Hannah Galey. Ariel Carlson beat out a bunt to put two on with no outs. Following a fly out, the runners stole second and third before scoring on a V. Wong double to right center. Shaye Bowden then beat out a bunt single. Jazzy Contreras ran for Bowden. Haley Cruse singled to left field when the ball popped out of Candace Denis' glove on a diving catch attempt. Wong scored on the play, and Contreras reached third. Rachel Cid singled up the middle to score Cruse and Contreras.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 6
Bottom 6
Haley Cruse drove a leadoff double into right center. Allee Bunker sent a two-out RBI single up the middle for an insurance run.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 7
No. RV/24 Mississippi State 1, Oregon State 0
No. 15/17 Oregon 7, No. RV/24 Mississippi State 2
Friday, Feb. 21
UC Riverside vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 5:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 22
BYU vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 4:30 p.m. CT
San Diego State vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 9:30 p.m. CT
The first game of the day was an outright pitcher's duel, with the two teams combining for just five total hits. Grace Fagan got the start in the circle and went 5.0 innings, allowing three hits. Fagan struck out seven Beavers before Emily Williams entered and threw 2.0 no-hit innings to earn a save. It was the Bulldogs' (10-1) sixth shutout victory of the year.
Chloe Malau'ulu provided all of the offense against Oregon State (7-3), hitting a solo homer to left field. Anna Kate Segars had State's second hit.
"I thought the pitchers did a great job in the first game of attacking the zone, mixing speeds and keeping them off balance," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We faced a quality team and a tough pitcher. She made one mistake, and Chloe made her pay for it. I thought the defense and everyone backing up Grace and Emily really played well."
Against the Ducks (10-0), MSU took the lead midway through the game, but immediately surrendered in the next half inning. Annie Willis allowed her first earned runs of the year, giving up a triple and a base hit to open the contest.
"The second game, we saw a little bit more of the mental errors, the errors that don't show up on the scoreboard, affect us," Ricketts added. "Decision making and some of that stuff early on, which is why we're trying to get out here and face quality competition that's going to make us lock in on our game plans and be focused for seven innings."
State fought back to score a pair in the fourth with Segars and Aquana Brownlee driving in runs. But in the bottom half of the inning, Oregon brought nine batters to the plate as they rallied for five runs. The Ducks would add an insurance tally in the sixth.
Quick Hitters
Mia Davidson – Recorded her fourth career triple against Oregon.Fa Leilua – Went 2-for-4 with a double for her fifth multi-hit game of the year.
Grace Fagan – Earned her fourth win of the year while striking out seven in 5.0 scoreless innings.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Hit a solo home run for the only run of the game against Oregon State.
Anna Kate Segars – Singled for one of State's two hits against Oregon State … Went 1-for-3 with a RBI against Oregon.
Carter Spexarth – Went 2-for-4 with a run scored against Oregon for her third multi-hit game of the year.
vs. Oregon State Scoring Recap
Top 4Chloe Malau'ulu homered to left field.
Mississippi State 1, Oregon State 0
vs. No. 15/17 Oregon Scoring Recap
Bottom 1Haley Cruse hit a leadoff triple and was brought home immediately by a Terra McGowan single up the middle.
Mississippi State 0, Oregon 1
Top 4
Carter Spexarth led off with a single to right center field. Madisyn Kennedy then drew a walk to put two one with nobody out. Anna Kate Segars drove a liner off the first baseman's glove into right field to score Spexarth and advance Kennedy to third. Aquana Brownlee pinch hit and sent a sacrifice fly into right field to score Kennedy.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 1
Bottom 4
Mya Felder drew a leadoff walk and was pinch ran for at first by Hannah Galey. Ariel Carlson beat out a bunt to put two on with no outs. Following a fly out, the runners stole second and third before scoring on a V. Wong double to right center. Shaye Bowden then beat out a bunt single. Jazzy Contreras ran for Bowden. Haley Cruse singled to left field when the ball popped out of Candace Denis' glove on a diving catch attempt. Wong scored on the play, and Contreras reached third. Rachel Cid singled up the middle to score Cruse and Contreras.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 6
Bottom 6
Haley Cruse drove a leadoff double into right center. Allee Bunker sent a two-out RBI single up the middle for an insurance run.
Mississippi State 2, Oregon 7
Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 20 No. RV/24 Mississippi State 1, Oregon State 0
No. 15/17 Oregon 7, No. RV/24 Mississippi State 2
Friday, Feb. 21
UC Riverside vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 5:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 22
BYU vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 4:30 p.m. CT
San Diego State vs. No. RV/24 Mississippi State – 9:30 p.m. CT
Admission
Tickets are available at MaryNutterClassic.com or by clicking here. Tickets are $32 per day for adults and $6 per day for children 10 and under. Student and senior admission costs $12 per day. A tournament pass is available for $80.On Deck
State plays UC Riverside (6-4) on Friday. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fagan, Grace (4-1)
L: Mazon, Mariah (4-3)
S: Williams, Emily (3)
Batting:
HR: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
RBI: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
Batting:
2B: Nunes, Missy 1 ; Rader, Maia 1
Base Running:
CS: Rader, Maia 1
HBP: Gin, Xiao 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF/OF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ SoftballP/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
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