Sunday, February 21
Starkville
2:00 PM
Mississippi State
3-0
4
vs
2
Stephen F. Austin
0-2
1
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3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Stephen F. Austin
0
0
0
1
0
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0
Mississippi State
0
1
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3
X
4
7
3
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Bulldogs Split Sunday Action While Breaking School Record
February 21, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – No. 22/24 Mississippi State split a pair of games on the opening day of The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial on Sunday. The Bulldogs (3-1) defeated Stephen F. Austin, 4-2, but fell to Southern Illinois in the nightcap, 6-5, in extra innings.
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The victory over the Lady Jacks was State's 17th in a row, breaking the school record for the longest winning streak set in 2006 and 2017. However, the nation's longest active streak came to an end a few hours later after an error allowed the winning run to score in the eighth inning.
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Christian Quinn provided the spark for State in Game 1, driving in a run with an RBI double off the pitcher's leg and into left field in the second inning. After SFA tied the game in the fourth, Fa Leilua answered with a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the sixth. That sparked a rally that included RBI singles from Paige Cook and Quinn to push the lead to 4-1. The Lady Jacks got one back in the seventh but could get no closer.
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In the evening's game, the Salukis jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, scoring in each of the first three frames. The Bulldogs broke out in the fifth, plating five runs on the back of three long balls. Chloe Malau'ulu led off with a solo home run. With two outs, Montana Davidson and Jackie McKenna hit back-to-back homers, Davidson's of the two-run variety.
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SIU tied the ballgame with two out in the top of the seventh, and MSU could not respond in the bottom half of the inning. Playing under the international tie-breaker with a runner placed on second in the eighth, the Salukis brought home a run on a throwing error that would prove to be the game-winner.
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"I think it's a combination. We have our catcher player shortstop over there, a little bit out of position. On top of that, when we are switching them around, [they're] just not getting the practice. But again, we expect to make those especially the catching and throwing errors that shouldn't matter what position you are at. That's something we should be able to do at a high level here. I think it just goes back to the focus. I don't think it's so much physical as much as it is making sure we are l locked in."
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Paige Cook – Went 2-for-3 against the Lady Jacks for her first career multi-hit game … Threw out a runner at the plate again SIU to start an inning ending double play … Added a double against the Salukis.
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Fa Leilua – Hit the 52nd home run of her career, which ranks fourth among active players nationally … Finished 3-for-6 on the day.
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Montana Davidson – Went 3-for-6 on the day with a two-run homer in the loss to SIU
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Christian Quinn – Went 2-for-2 and drove in a pair of runs against SFA for the first multi-RBI and second multi-hit game of her career … Hit her second career double against the Lady Jacks.
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Annie Willis – Struck out five of the 13 batters she faced while allowing one run against SFA.
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With one out, Paige Cook singled to shortstop. Jackie McKenna reached base on a fielder's choice as Cook was thrown out at second. Montana Davidson followed with a walk and advanced McKenna to second. Christian Quinn doubled off the pitcher to score McKenna.
Stephen F. Austin 0, Mississippi State 1
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Top 4
Mackenzie Bennett was hit by pitch to open the frame, and Kay Wallace pinch ran at first. Wallace then advanced to second based when Gaby Garcia reached first on an error. Marisa Arriaga struck out. Lexi Benzon hit a ground ball that was stopped on a dive at first base, but the throw to second couldn't be handled. That allowed Garcia to be safe second and scored Wallace from second.
Stephen F. Austin 1, Mississippi State 1
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Bottom 6
Fa Leilua led off with a homer to left field. Brylie St. Clair pinch ran at first after Carter Spexarth walked. St. Clair took to second on a wild pitch before Anna Kate Segars walked. Cook singled into left field to score St. Clair and sending Segars to third on the throw. With two outs, Quinn legged out an infield single allowing Segars to score.
Stephen F. Austin 1, Mississippi State 4
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Top 7
With one out, Alex Hedspeth was hit by a pitch. Hespeth then advanced to second and, shortly after, to third on wild pitches. Shaylon Govan drew a walk and was pinch ran for. Bryana Novegil grounded out to third base advancing the runners and scoring Hedspeth before a strikeout ended the game.
Stephen F. Austin 2, Mississippi State 4
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Maddy Verjamen led off with a single hit to left field and advanced to third on a throwing error. Bailey Caylor reached first base on a fielder's choice as the throw went to the plate to try to catch Verjamen. Verjamen was safe, but Caylor was tagged out trying to take second. Following a strikeout, Jenny Jansen homered to center field.
Southern Illinois 2, Mississippi State 0
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Top 2
Following her single to the pitcher, Tori Schullian stole second and advanced to third when the thow went into center field. With Schullian on third, Sidney Sikes hit a sacrifice fly to left field.
Southern Illinois 3, Mississippi State 0
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Top 3
Vermejan walked to start the inning. On a bunt single from Caylor, Vermejan took second. The pair then executed a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. Jansen sent an RBI single into right field to score Vermejan and push Caylor to third. Jansen stole second, but the inning ended on a ground ball to second base. The Bulldogs cut down the run at the plate then caught Jansen trying to round third.
Southern Illinois 4, Mississippi State 0
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Bottom 6
Chloe Malau'ulu led off with a homer to left field, putting the Bulldogs on the board. With one out, Fa Leilua singled and Carter Spexarth doubled to score her. Allison Florian pinch ran for Spexarth. Montana Davidson and Jackie McKenna then hit back-to-back, two-out home runs to take the lead.
Southern Illinois 4, Mississippi State 5
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Top 7
Vermejan led off with a walk. She took second on a ground out to third by Caylor. With two outs, Jansen singled to score Verjamin from second, tying the game.Â
Southern Illinois 5, Mississippi State 5
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Top 8
Ashley Wood was placed on second under international tie-breaker rules. Tori Schullian then walked. Rylie Hamilton pinch ran for Schullian. Sidney Sikes hit a ground ball to the pitcher but reached base on a throwing error that scored Wood. Hamilton tried to score on the play and was thrown out at the plate.
Southern Illinois 6, Mississippi State 5
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The victory over the Lady Jacks was State's 17th in a row, breaking the school record for the longest winning streak set in 2006 and 2017. However, the nation's longest active streak came to an end a few hours later after an error allowed the winning run to score in the eighth inning.
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Christian Quinn provided the spark for State in Game 1, driving in a run with an RBI double off the pitcher's leg and into left field in the second inning. After SFA tied the game in the fourth, Fa Leilua answered with a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the sixth. That sparked a rally that included RBI singles from Paige Cook and Quinn to push the lead to 4-1. The Lady Jacks got one back in the seventh but could get no closer.
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In the evening's game, the Salukis jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, scoring in each of the first three frames. The Bulldogs broke out in the fifth, plating five runs on the back of three long balls. Chloe Malau'ulu led off with a solo home run. With two outs, Montana Davidson and Jackie McKenna hit back-to-back homers, Davidson's of the two-run variety.
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SIU tied the ballgame with two out in the top of the seventh, and MSU could not respond in the bottom half of the inning. Playing under the international tie-breaker with a runner placed on second in the eighth, the Salukis brought home a run on a throwing error that would prove to be the game-winner.
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Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on the team's errors: "I think it's a combination. We have our catcher player shortstop over there, a little bit out of position. On top of that, when we are switching them around, [they're] just not getting the practice. But again, we expect to make those especially the catching and throwing errors that shouldn't matter what position you are at. That's something we should be able to do at a high level here. I think it just goes back to the focus. I don't think it's so much physical as much as it is making sure we are l locked in."
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Quick Hitters
On A Roll – The Bulldogs broke the school record for longest winning streak with their victory over Stephen F. Austin … State's 17-game streak surpassed 16-game runs in 2006 and 2017.Â
Paige Cook – Went 2-for-3 against the Lady Jacks for her first career multi-hit game … Threw out a runner at the plate again SIU to start an inning ending double play … Added a double against the Salukis.
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Fa Leilua – Hit the 52nd home run of her career, which ranks fourth among active players nationally … Finished 3-for-6 on the day.
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Montana Davidson – Went 3-for-6 on the day with a two-run homer in the loss to SIU
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Christian Quinn – Went 2-for-2 and drove in a pair of runs against SFA for the first multi-RBI and second multi-hit game of her career … Hit her second career double against the Lady Jacks.
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Annie Willis – Struck out five of the 13 batters she faced while allowing one run against SFA.
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vs. Stephen F. Austin Scoring Recap
Bottom 2With one out, Paige Cook singled to shortstop. Jackie McKenna reached base on a fielder's choice as Cook was thrown out at second. Montana Davidson followed with a walk and advanced McKenna to second. Christian Quinn doubled off the pitcher to score McKenna.
Stephen F. Austin 0, Mississippi State 1
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Top 4
Mackenzie Bennett was hit by pitch to open the frame, and Kay Wallace pinch ran at first. Wallace then advanced to second based when Gaby Garcia reached first on an error. Marisa Arriaga struck out. Lexi Benzon hit a ground ball that was stopped on a dive at first base, but the throw to second couldn't be handled. That allowed Garcia to be safe second and scored Wallace from second.
Stephen F. Austin 1, Mississippi State 1
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Bottom 6
Fa Leilua led off with a homer to left field. Brylie St. Clair pinch ran at first after Carter Spexarth walked. St. Clair took to second on a wild pitch before Anna Kate Segars walked. Cook singled into left field to score St. Clair and sending Segars to third on the throw. With two outs, Quinn legged out an infield single allowing Segars to score.
Stephen F. Austin 1, Mississippi State 4
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Top 7
With one out, Alex Hedspeth was hit by a pitch. Hespeth then advanced to second and, shortly after, to third on wild pitches. Shaylon Govan drew a walk and was pinch ran for. Bryana Novegil grounded out to third base advancing the runners and scoring Hedspeth before a strikeout ended the game.
Stephen F. Austin 2, Mississippi State 4
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vs. Southern Illinois Scoring Recap
Top 1Maddy Verjamen led off with a single hit to left field and advanced to third on a throwing error. Bailey Caylor reached first base on a fielder's choice as the throw went to the plate to try to catch Verjamen. Verjamen was safe, but Caylor was tagged out trying to take second. Following a strikeout, Jenny Jansen homered to center field.
Southern Illinois 2, Mississippi State 0
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Top 2
Following her single to the pitcher, Tori Schullian stole second and advanced to third when the thow went into center field. With Schullian on third, Sidney Sikes hit a sacrifice fly to left field.
Southern Illinois 3, Mississippi State 0
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Top 3
Vermejan walked to start the inning. On a bunt single from Caylor, Vermejan took second. The pair then executed a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. Jansen sent an RBI single into right field to score Vermejan and push Caylor to third. Jansen stole second, but the inning ended on a ground ball to second base. The Bulldogs cut down the run at the plate then caught Jansen trying to round third.
Southern Illinois 4, Mississippi State 0
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Bottom 6
Chloe Malau'ulu led off with a homer to left field, putting the Bulldogs on the board. With one out, Fa Leilua singled and Carter Spexarth doubled to score her. Allison Florian pinch ran for Spexarth. Montana Davidson and Jackie McKenna then hit back-to-back, two-out home runs to take the lead.
Southern Illinois 4, Mississippi State 5
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Top 7
Vermejan led off with a walk. She took second on a ground out to third by Caylor. With two outs, Jansen singled to score Verjamin from second, tying the game.Â
Southern Illinois 5, Mississippi State 5
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Top 8
Ashley Wood was placed on second under international tie-breaker rules. Tori Schullian then walked. Rylie Hamilton pinch ran for Schullian. Sidney Sikes hit a ground ball to the pitcher but reached base on a throwing error that scored Wood. Hamilton tried to score on the play and was thrown out at the plate.
Southern Illinois 6, Mississippi State 5
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On Deck
The Bulldogs conclude The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial on Monday against Missouri State and Mississippi Valley State. First pitch against the Bears is set for 2 p.m. CT, and the second game will begin 30 minutes following its conclusion. Both games will air on SEC Network+.Â
Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Willis, Annie (2-0)
L: Govan, Shaylon (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Arriaga, Marisa 1
RBI: Novegil, Bryana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Wallace, Kayla 1
CS: Medeiros, Simone 1
HBP: Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Bennett, Mackenzie 1 ; Garcia, Gaby 1
Batting:
2B: Quinn, Christian 1
HR: Leilua, Fa 1
RBI: Leilua, Fa 1 ; Cook, Paige 1 ; Quinn, Christian 2
SH: Quinn, Christian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Leilua, Fa 1 ; St. Clair, Brylie 1 ; Segars, Anna Kate 1 ; McKenna, Jackie 1
SB: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1 ; Quinn, Christian 1
CS: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
3B/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
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