Friday, March 19
Starkville
6:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
#5 Florida
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Softball Hosts No. 5 Florida For SEC Home Opener
March 18, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – SEC softball returns to Nusz Park for the first time since April 28, 2019 when Mississippi State hosts No. 5 Florida on March 19-21.
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The Bulldogs (15-8, 0-3 SEC) won the 2019 edition of the series with the Gators, taking the first two games of the weekend by a pair of runs each.
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Florida (18-2, 2-1 SEC) is one game back from the top of the conference standings and boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the nation. The Gators have held teams to just 3.55 hits per game and have given up five or more hits just twice this season.
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State is led by leadoff hitter Chloe Malau'ulu who has reached base in every game this season and is second in the nation with 11 hit-by-pitches on the year. Defensively, Malau'ulu has a 1.000 fielding percentage and has thrown out two runners at the plate. Her .362 batting average is second on the team.
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Mia Davidson paces the Bulldogs with a .365 average and 53 total bases this year. Her 27 hits lead the team, and 13 of those have gone for extra bases.
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The Bulldogs are receiving votes in the latest USA Softball/ESPN Poll.
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MSU will wear its teal uniforms on Saturday as part of the SEC's "All for Alex" weekend that will see all 13 of the league's teams wear teal uniforms or accents over the weekend.
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Game 2 – March 20 at 2 p.m. CT | Watch on SEC Network | Live Stats | All for Alex
Game 3 – March 21 at 11 a.m. CT | Watch on SEC Network | Live Stats
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Outfield Arms: Anna Kate Segars leads the team with three outfield assists, including two in her last three games. Malau'ulu and Christian Quinn have each thrown out a pair of runners too.
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We Don't Move: MSU ranks fourth in the nation in hit-by-pitches and third in the SEC. Malau'ulu is third in the country and second in the SEC with 11, while Segars is tied for seventh nationally at nine.
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Milestone Watch: Davidson needs two homers to move into a tie for eighth in SEC career history and one run to move into a tie for sixth in school history. Emily Williams (99) needs four more looking strikeouts to break the school record of 102.
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Got Her Looking: The Bulldogs lead the SEC with 48 looking strikeouts this season. Williams and Aspen Wesley lead the team and are tied for ninth in the SEC with 14 each.
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Thunder And Lightning: Davidson and Fa Leilua rank seventh among the NCAA's active career leaders with 58 home runs. The duo is the one of two pairs of teammates in the country to boast 50-plus career homers (Arizona).
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Quinn And The Gang: Quinn's batting average climbs to .370 with runners on base and .353 with runners in scoring position, which is second on the team.
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All For Alex: 12 of the SEC's 13 softball teams will wear teal uniforms or accents on Saturday as the league goes "All for Alex" to honor the legacy of MSU's Alex Wilcox and her fight against ovarian cancer. South Carolina will participate on Sunday.
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Rankings: NFCA Coaches - 5 | USA Softball – 5 | Softball America - 5 | D1Softball – 8
Head coach: Tim Walton | Record at UF: 812-173 (16th Year)| Career Record: 935-237 (19th Year)
Batting Average: .300; Runs Per Game: 5.3; Hits Per Game: 7.5; Slugging Pct: .469
ERA: 1.14; K/7: 6.3; K/BB Ratio: 3.7; Opp. Batting Avg: .153
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The Bulldogs (15-8, 0-3 SEC) won the 2019 edition of the series with the Gators, taking the first two games of the weekend by a pair of runs each.
Â
Florida (18-2, 2-1 SEC) is one game back from the top of the conference standings and boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the nation. The Gators have held teams to just 3.55 hits per game and have given up five or more hits just twice this season.
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State is led by leadoff hitter Chloe Malau'ulu who has reached base in every game this season and is second in the nation with 11 hit-by-pitches on the year. Defensively, Malau'ulu has a 1.000 fielding percentage and has thrown out two runners at the plate. Her .362 batting average is second on the team.
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Mia Davidson paces the Bulldogs with a .365 average and 53 total bases this year. Her 27 hits lead the team, and 13 of those have gone for extra bases.
Â
The Bulldogs are receiving votes in the latest USA Softball/ESPN Poll.
Â
MSU will wear its teal uniforms on Saturday as part of the SEC's "All for Alex" weekend that will see all 13 of the league's teams wear teal uniforms or accents over the weekend.
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Game Coverage
Game 1 – March 19 at 6 p.m. CT | Watch on SEC Network | Live StatsGame 2 – March 20 at 2 p.m. CT | Watch on SEC Network | Live Stats | All for Alex
Game 3 – March 21 at 11 a.m. CT | Watch on SEC Network | Live Stats
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Leading Off
Consistent Company: Malau'ulu is currently riding a career-long 28-game reached base streak that is tied for the seventh-longest in school history. She is one of three players in MSU history to reach base in 23 consecutive games to open a season.Â
Outfield Arms: Anna Kate Segars leads the team with three outfield assists, including two in her last three games. Malau'ulu and Christian Quinn have each thrown out a pair of runners too.
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We Don't Move: MSU ranks fourth in the nation in hit-by-pitches and third in the SEC. Malau'ulu is third in the country and second in the SEC with 11, while Segars is tied for seventh nationally at nine.
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Milestone Watch: Davidson needs two homers to move into a tie for eighth in SEC career history and one run to move into a tie for sixth in school history. Emily Williams (99) needs four more looking strikeouts to break the school record of 102.
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Got Her Looking: The Bulldogs lead the SEC with 48 looking strikeouts this season. Williams and Aspen Wesley lead the team and are tied for ninth in the SEC with 14 each.
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Thunder And Lightning: Davidson and Fa Leilua rank seventh among the NCAA's active career leaders with 58 home runs. The duo is the one of two pairs of teammates in the country to boast 50-plus career homers (Arizona).
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Quinn And The Gang: Quinn's batting average climbs to .370 with runners on base and .353 with runners in scoring position, which is second on the team.
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All For Alex: 12 of the SEC's 13 softball teams will wear teal uniforms or accents on Saturday as the league goes "All for Alex" to honor the legacy of MSU's Alex Wilcox and her fight against ovarian cancer. South Carolina will participate on Sunday.
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About the Opponent
FloridaRankings: NFCA Coaches - 5 | USA Softball – 5 | Softball America - 5 | D1Softball – 8
Head coach: Tim Walton | Record at UF: 812-173 (16th Year)| Career Record: 935-237 (19th Year)
Batting Average: .300; Runs Per Game: 5.3; Hits Per Game: 7.5; Slugging Pct: .469
ERA: 1.14; K/7: 6.3; K/BB Ratio: 3.7; Opp. Batting Avg: .153
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On Deck
The Bulldogs remain home to host Central Arkansas on Tuesday, March 23. The game will air on SEC Network+ beginning at 4 p.m. CT. MSU then travels to the state of Arkansas to meet the Razorbacks for its third SEC series on March 26-28.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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Players Mentioned
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