State Sweeps Double-Header With Miami (Ohio)

Saturday, February 13

Starkville

12:00 PM

Mississippi State

1-0

Miami (Ohio)

0-1

Miami (Ohio)

Mississippi State

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

State Sweeps Double-Header With Miami (Ohio)

February 13, 2021 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Brian Ogden, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 20/22 Mississippi State softball opened the season with a pair of victories on Saturday, plating 10 runs in each contest against Miami (Ohio).

The Bulldogs won in walk-off fashion in Game 1, scoring once in the bottom of the sixth and adding a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 10-9. State was much more dominant in the second game, posting a 10-3 victory.

MSU has now tied the school record for the longest winning streak in program history at 16 games, dating back to last season. State has won its season opener in seven consecutive years.

"I think there were some nerves, and we could see that early on," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I'm really proud of the fight and the finish to come back in the seventh inning [in the first game]. [Those were] some really great, mature at-bats. No one was trying to win it themselves with one big swing. There were a lot of quality walks and passing the bat. We kept the belief that it didn't matter, if we still have outs on the board, we can still compete and still have a chance to win."

In Game 1, MSU saw its first five batters of the game reach base on two walks, two hit batters and a single. State pushed four runs across in the first inning. Miami (Ohio) answered with a two-run homer in the top of the third. Sophomore Paige Cook broke the game open with a three-run homer for her first career long ball in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Bulldogs a 7-2 lead.

That lead wouldn't last however as the RedHawks rallied to plate seven in the top of the fifth, and MSU was suddenly trailing, 9-7. Anna Kate Segars doubled in the sixth and scored on a Montana Davidson single up the middle to cut the deficit. In their last at-bat, the Bulldogs saw one runner reach base before recording two outs. State then drew a walk, hit a single to load the bases and drew two more walks to push across the tying and winning runs.

Emily Williams got the Opening Day nod in the circle and went 4.1 innings, striking out three. Annie Willis earned the win in relief, tossing 2.2 innings and striking out four.

The second game of the day also started off with an early rally. Mia Davidson and Fa Leilua hit back-to-back solo home runs with one out in the bottom of the first. Carter Spexarth walked and eventually scored to bring the lead to 3-0.

MSU added a run in the bottom of the second but surrendered a two-run homer in the top of the third. Walks bit the RedHawks again in the bottom half of the frame, as two runners who reached via the free pass came home to give MSU a 6-2 lead. Both teams scored a single run in the fifth inning.

The bottom of the sixth saw Chloe Malau'ulu lead off by reaching on an error then take two bases on wild pitches. She scored on a sacrifice fly from Leilua following a Davidson walk. Davidson then scored on a double from Segars, who in turn took both third and the plate on wild pitches.

Alyssa Loza started Game 2, going through the order twice in 4.2 innings of work. She struck out five, allowing three hits to earn the win. Grace Fagan closed the game out, striking out three of the nine she faced without allowing a run.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on the cold weather:
"There were definitely tough conditions. We knew that going in. We practiced a little bit in it yesterday and we knew that it was going to be more of a mindset with the conditions more than anything because both teams were going to be out there. Our approach was we can either be miserable because we're cold or we can look at it like we're thankful to be on the field again for this opportunity."

Carter Spexarth on returning to play after the 2020 season was cancelled:
"It's kind of special. Our first time out there in 339 days. We were just excited to get back out there. It means a lot to start off 2-0."

Paige Cook on the approach to the comeback in Game 1"
"It was basically have more selfless at-bats instead of selfish. We're always told to go out there and take one for the team, always. It's nice to be able to slow things down and it's just another at-bat. [I] just relax, and go out there. It was a team thing. I had a plan [in my last at-bat]. I was wanting to see the ball up. She kept throwing the ball wild. In my other at-bats, she never was consistent, so I just wanted to be patient."

Quick Hitters

Paige Cook – Hit her first career home run … Drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh of Game 1 … Drove in a career-high four runs in the season opener … Reached base in all four plate appearances in Game 2 (error, walk, walk, hit-by-pitch).

Fa Leilua – Hit the 51^st home run of her career … Along with Mia Davidson, the Bulldogs join Arizona as the only teams in the country with multiple 50-homer hitters … Drew a career-high three walks in Game 1 … Went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in Game 2.

Chloe Malau'ulu – Extended her hitting streak to a career-long six games with two singles in the season opener before seeing it end in Game 2.

Carter Spexarth – Went 3-for-5 in Game 1 with two RBIs

Mia Davidson – Went 2-for-6 with a home run and three walks in two games … Saw her first collegiate action at shortstop.

Anna Kate Segars – Hit a double in each game.

Allison Florian – The graduate transfer played her first career games, coming on as a pinch runner in both contests and scoring a run.

Game 1 Scoring Recap

Bottom 1
The first run of the day was scored by Chloe Malau'ulu who led off by being hit by a pitch. Fa Leilua and Mia Davidson then drew walks to load the bases. A Carter Spexarth single to right field brought home Malau'ulu. Anna Kate Segars was then hit by a pitch to score Davidson and advance the runners. With one out, Montana Davidson walked to score Leilua. Aquana Brownlee then reached on a fielder's choice, while Spexarth scored and Segars advanced to third. The Bulldogs batted around as Christian Quinn drew a walk, but Malau'ulu grounded out to end the inning.
Miami (Ohio) 0, Mississippi State 4

Top 3
Adriana Barlow hit a one-out double. Following a strike out, Karlee Juarez hit a two-run homer.
Miami (Ohio) 2, Mississippi State 4

Bottom 4
Mia Davidson led off with a single to center. Leilua followed with a walk, pushing Mia Davidson to second. Allison Florian pinch ran for Leilua. With two outs, Paige Cook hit a three-run homer.
Miami (Ohio) 2, Mississippi State 7

Top 5
Mackenzie Moore singled to right field to open the frame. Holly Blaska was hit by a pitch with one out to put runners at first and second. Juarez doubled to left center scoring both runners. Karlie Spaid then singled, but Juarez was forced to stay at second. Lily Wilmot walked to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Allie Cummins walked to bring home a run and was pinch ran for by Kate Kobayashi. Morgan Lott singled to left field, and the runners went station-to-station. Jada Dotson singled with a blooper just out of the shortstop's reach to score another run. Moore returned to the plate and doubled home Lott and Kobayashi. A strikeout and a ground out ended the damage.
Miami (Ohio) 9, Mississippi State 7

Bottom 6
Segars hit a one-out double to right field then advanced to third on a Cook ground out. Montana Davidson singled up the middle to plate Segars.
Miami (Ohio) 9, Mississippi State 8

Bottom 7
With one out, Malau'ulu singled to center. With two outs, Leilua walked and Spexarth singled to load the bases. Segars and Cook drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to end the game.
Miami (Ohio) 9, Mississippi State 10

Game 2 Scoring Recap

Bottom 1
With one out, Mia Davidson and Leilua hit back-to-back solo home runs. Spexarth drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. She then advanced to third on a ground out. Cook reached on an error by the third baseman, allowing Spexarth to score.
Miami (Ohio) 0, Mississippi State 3

Bottom 2
With two outs, Malau'ulu and Mia Davidson drew back-to-back walks. Malau'ulu scored from second on a double from Leilua, but Mia Davidson was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Miami (Ohio) 0, Mississippi State 4

Top 3
Riley Coyne reached on an error to open the inning, and Kate Kobayashi hit a two-run homer to left field. The next three batters went down in order.
Miami (Ohio) 2, Mississippi State 4

Bottom 3
With one out Segars and Cook drew walks. Montana Davidson reached on an error to load the bases. Jackie McKenna hit a ground ball to the third baseman, who tried to throw Segars out at the plate. The throw was wild, allowing Segars and Cook to both come home.
Miami (Ohio) 2, Mississippi State 6

Top 5
Kobayashi reached on a fielder's choice, as State got the lead runner out at second for the second out of the inning. Kobayashi took second on a wild pitch and scored on a Juarez single to right.
Miami (Ohio) 3, Mississippi State 6

Bottom 5
Montana Davidson reached on a fielder's choice when the RedHawks got the lead runner for the second out of the inning. McKenna then doubled to score Montana Davidson from first.
Miami (Ohio) 3, Mississippi State 7

Bottom 6
Malau'ulu reached on an error then took second on a wild pitch. Mia Davidson walked, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Leilua hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Malau'ulu. Spexarth's ground out allowed Mia Davidson to advance to third where she scored on a double from Segars. Segars took third and then the plate on wild pitches.
Miami (Ohio) 3, Mississippi State 10

On Deck

Due to approaching winter weather, Sunday's series finale has been canceled and will not be made up. The Bulldogs' next scheduled game is Wednesday, Feb. 17 at home against Southeastern Louisiana. The game will air on SEC Network+ beginning at 4 p.m. CT.

Follow the Bulldogs

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