State Slugs Seven Homers In Doubleheader Sweep

Tuesday, April 20

Starkville

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

23-19

Jackson State

13-18

Jackson State

Mississippi State

Mia Davidson is now tied for fourth in SEC softball history with 65 career home runs.

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

State Slugs Seven Homers In Doubleheader Sweep

April 20, 2021 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score (PDF)Game 2 Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Spexarth, Davidson and Kennedy all turn in multi-homer nights

By: Brian Ogden, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's softball team powered its way to a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday night, defeating Jackson State by scores of 8-0 and 10-3. The Bulldogs hit a combined seven home runs in the two games, and State's pitchers recorded 22 strikeouts.

"I think the biggest thing we take from these two games is to just play our game and relax a little bit, not press so much and remember that we can put it all together at any moment," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We're continuing to play pitch by pitch and seeing how that works out for us at the end of the game and not worrying about it throughout the game."

Carter Spexarth had a huge night at the plate, homering three times to plate six runs. She turned in her first career multi-homer game in the nightcap. Madisyn Kennedy and Mia Davidson also hit home runs in both contests. Kennedy finished the day 4-for-5, adding a double and a single.

Emily Williams started Game 1 and faced 10 batters, striking out eight of them while allowing just one runner. She was relieved by Kenley Hawk who sat down four of the seven she faced on strikes. Neither pitcher walked a batter.

Aspen Wesley earned the win in relief in Game 2, striking out six of the eight she faced in 2.2 perfect innings. Addison Purvis closed the game with three straight strikeouts in the seventh inning.

Tuesday night marked the second time this year that the Bulldogs (24-19, 0-12 SEC) have hit seven homers in a day along with MSU's doubleheader at North Alabama on April 3. Kennedy also had a multi-homer day that weekend.

State has now scored double-digit runs eight times in 2021, surpassing its 2020 total of four and matching the 2019 season. Game 1 marked the Bulldogs' fifth run-rule victory of the year.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on State's pitching staff striking out 22 batters:
"I thought the pitchers did a great job of just attacking the zone and pitching to their strengths. Even when they might get behind in 3-0 counts, they still went right at them, especially [Emily Williams] and Kenley [Hawk]. Aspen [Wesley] and Addie [Purvis] in the second game with no walks is huge, and commanding the zone is what they did a great job of."

Madisyn Kennedy on her night at the plate:
"Honestly, I was just trying to relax and have fun and get back to the way we used to play and contribute in a way, play the game and let it come as it does."

Mia Davidson on moving into a tie for fourth in SEC history with her 65^th home run:
"I really don't have an idea because you just told me that, and I didn't even know. I'm just hitting relaxed and trusting everything, trusting the process and doing that. I was just staying relaxed and seeing pitches. I told myself just hit line drives, and just a few of them I maybe got a little too under – the ones I hit to center field. Other than that, I just told myself to stay calm and swing the bat."

Carter Spexarth on her night at the plate:
"I never tell myself to hit a home run, but that last at-bat I was like let's try to hit a home run. I just did that and had fun. It was fun. I was just swinging."

Quick Hitters

Strong In The Circle – State struck out 22 batters over the two games and walked none in Game 1 … Apsen Wesley struck out six of the eight batters she faced in 2.2 perfect innings … Emily Williams struck out eight of the 10 she faced while allowing one runner … Kenley Hawk struck out four of seven batters faced.

Mia Davidson – Is now tied for fourth in SEC history with 65 SEC home runs ... Has now played every infield position in her career with the addition of first base in Game 2 … 10 of Davidson's last 12 hits have left the ballpark.

Madisyn Kennedy – Went 4-for-5 with five RBIs, including two home runs.

Chloe Malau'ulu – Went 3-for-3 in Game 1 … Walked and scored to open Game 2 … MSU is now 14-5 when Malau'ulu reaches base to open the game.

Carter Spexarth – Turned in her first career multi-homer game in Game 2 … Finished the day with three home runs in two games and six RBIs.

Kylie Taylor – Made her collegiate debut and first career start in Game 2 … Recorded her first career strikeout on the first batter she faced.

Game 1 Scoring Recap

Bottom 1
With two outs, Carter Spexarth reached first on a throwing error. Mia Davidson then hit a two-run homer to center field on the next pitch.
Jackson State 0, Mississippi State 2

Bottom 2
Addison Purvis singled to the shortstop. Purvis scored on a Madisyn Kennedy home run to center field. Montana Davidson doubled down the right-field line then scored on a double from Chloe Malau'ulu.
Jackson State 0, Mississippi State 5

Bottom 4
Kennedy singled to shortstop to open the inning. She advanced to second when Montana Davison reached on an error. Malau'ulu singled and Montana Davidson was caught up between second and third. While she was retired in the rundown, Kennedy came home to score. Malau'ulu scored on a Carter Spexarth home run to left field.
Jackson State 0, Mississippi State 8

Game 2 Scoring Recap

Top 1
Alexis Arredondo reached on a error by the third baseman. She scored when Isabel Gusman homered to center field.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 0

Bottom 1
Chloe Malau'ulu walked and advanced to second on a Fa Leilua single. Malau'ulu and Leilua scored on a Carter Spexarth home run.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 3

Top 2
Jalia Hubbard walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Samiah Huckabee. Hubbard advanced to third on a single from Brianna Simms Johnson. A pickoff attempt to get Hubbard at third hit the runner and allowed her to score.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 3

Bottom 2
Addison Purvis led off with a single to center field. Purvis advanced to third on a Madisyn Kennedy double. Malau'ulu reached on a throwing error by the third baseman scoring both Purvis and Kennedy.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 5

Bottom 3
Mia Davidson hit a solo home run down the left-field line to lead off the inning.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 6

Bottom 5
With one out, Jackie McKenna reached on an error when the first baseman dropped the throw. McKenna advanced to second on a Kiki Edwards walk. Kennedy hit a three-run home run.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 9

Bottom 6
With one out, Spexarth homered to center field.
Jackson State 2, Mississippi State 10

On Deck

Mississippi State will host its second SEC series at Nusz Park when it welcomes Texas A&M this weekend. The three-game set is scheduled for April 23-25 with Saturday's game being televised nationally on SEC Network. The opening and closing games of the series will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Follow the Bulldogs

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."