Wesley Pitches Gem As State Closes Snowman With Victory

Sunday, February 27

Starkville

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

9-7

South Alabama

4-10

South Alabama

Mississippi State

Wesley Pitches Gem As State Closes Snowman With Victory

February 27, 2022 | Softball

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By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Aspen Wesley controlled the circle all day. The Bulldog junior held South Alabama to three hits as Mississippi State won its final game of The Snowman, 5-0.

Wesley tossed a complete game, striking out four. Her only trouble came in the top of the seventh when the first two hitters reached on a walk and a single, but she retired the next three batters she faced to preserve the shutout.

"It was good to see the response after the game last night. We asked for energy and for everyone to work together. I thought we did a good job at that," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "The vibe felt a lot better this weekend. There was a lot of positivity and everyone was striving for that same goal that we had at practice. It's good to see us going toward that upward trend and that we're looking to learn and grow during the preseason. Overall, I'm happy with the performance on the weekend all around. I thought Aspen was in total control all day long. She was cruising. It's good to see her in command. Defense was much improved. Our defense made some big time plays behind Aspen today."

The Bulldogs (9-7) scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a squeeze bunt. Paige Cook's sacrifice bunt scored Madisyn Kennedy from third, and the throw to the plate got over the catcher's head allowing Brylie St. Clair to score from second.

State added two runs on back-to-back homers from Mia Davidson and Matalasi Faapito in the third inning. In the sixth, pinch runner Phoebe Florian scored from first on a base hit from pinch hitter Addison Purvis when the ball was bobbled in left field.

Quotables

Aspen Wesley on her first two career shutouts…
"This whole week I have come to the facility on my own. I want to be sharp and good, so I am making sure I am putting in that extra work for me to be the best that I can be and the best pitcher for this team. This team deserves it, so I want to be better for them."

Aspen Wesley on preserving the shutout after the first two batters reached in the seventh…
"Usually when I get runners on base, I tell myself you do not have any runner on base. I tell myself there is no one on base and there is just you and me out or whoever it is. I just go out and there and my thing and trust my defense and my pitches."

Matalasi Faapito on making adjustments at the plate today…
"I think I was focusing on technique a little too much, and today I just had to see ball, hit ball and swing the bat hard. That was my main key this entire weekend."

Samantha Ricketts on scoring in different ways…
"Offensively, today, we had a complete game. Putting down a squeeze play, getting the base running calls, and obviously the home run balls were big. The pinch hit by Addison Purvis with Phoebe Florian on base was huge. We're continuing to get full team wins while using everyone to execute their roles. With Phoebe [Florian] scoring from first, that was impressive."

Quick Hitters

Paige Cook – Brought home two runs on a squeeze bunt in the second inning.

Mia Davidson – Hit her fifth home run of the weekend … went 7-for-13 in The Snowman with five home runs … was also walked five times … now has eight homers and 17 RBIs this season … is one RBI away from tying the MSU career record.

Matalasi Faapito – Hit her fourth home run of the season.

Brylie St. Clair – Scored from second when the throw home got away on a squeeze play … made a diving catch in center field.

Aspen Wesley – Tossed her second career complete-game shutout and second of the weekend … allowed four hits in 13.0 innings during The Snowman and walked just one.

South Alabama Scoring Recap

Bottom 2
Riley Hull walked, and Madisyn Kennedy doubled to open the frame. With runners on second and third, Brylie St. Clair hit a grounder to the pitcher. The throw came home and retired Hull, but Kennedy advanced to third and St. Clair reached second on the play. Paige Cook then laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Kennedy from third. The throw to the plate got over the catcher's head, allowing St. Clair to score from second and Cook to reach second.
South Alabama 0, Mississippi State 2

Bottom 3
With one out, Mia Davidson and Matalasi Faapito hit back-to-back solo homers.
South Alabama 0, Mississippi State 4

Bottom 6
Kennedy was hit by a pitch with two outs, and Phoebe Florian pinch ran at first. Addison Purvis pinch hit and delivered a base hit into left. Florian scored from first when the outfielder bobbled the ball.
South Alabama 0, Mississippi State 5

On Deck

The Bulldogs remain home next week for an in-state matchup. MSU will host Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m. CT.

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