Friday, April 29
Lexington, Ky.
5:00 PM
Mississippi State
30-20, 8-11
3
at
7
#11 Kentucky
32-14, 10-9
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Mississippi State
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
3
Kentucky
0
0
4
0
3
0
X
7
7
2
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Pair Of Rallies Down State At No. 11 Kentucky
April 29, 2022 | Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two big innings proved to be the difference on Friday night as Mississippi State lost, 7-3, at No. 11 Kentucky.
The first seven runs of the ballgame between the two teams were all unearned, and the Bulldogs and Wildcats combined for five errors on the night.
"We know we're going to have to back up our pitchers, and we're going to have to make plays behind them," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "When the free passes and the errors snowball together that leads to a big inning. Credit to Kentucky. They do a great job. They put the ball in play. The put pressure on you with their speed, and there are a lot of good hitters up and down that lineup. I think that's something they took advantage of. A good team like that, you can't give them any extra chances."
MSU (30-20, 8-11 SEC) got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. An infield error allowed Shea Moreno and Mia Davidson to score after they had walked and been hit by a pitch, respectively. Brylie St. Clair then singled up the middle for what would be State's only RBI of the night.
Kentucky (32-14, 10-9 SEC) scored four runs on three hits and two errors in the third, including a two-run homer. In the fifth, a triple a base hit and an RBI double led to three more runs.
Kenley Hawk came on in relief and retired all four batters she faced to close the game. State loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the seventh, but a foul fly ball was caught to end the game.
"We have to be more disciplined in our plan. We knew the plan coming in. We didn't trust it, or we didn't execute it. I think, up and down the lineup, trusting the plan a little bit more and being able to execute it a little earlier in the game and consistently throughout the lineup. I thought we had a couple of balls we hit hard, but if we'd been a little more disciplined, I think we could've gotten a few more barrels in there."
Kenley Hawk – Entered in relief and threw 1.1 perfect innings … needed just 12 pitches.
Shea Moreno – Drew a game-opening walk and came around to score … also singled and laid down a sacrifice bunt to go 1-for-2.
Brylie St. Clair – Singled to drive in a run in the first.
Shea Moreno walked, and Mia Davidson was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Chloe Malau'ulu laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners. With two outs, Jackie McKenna reached on an error by the first baseman who missed the throw following a ground ball. That error allowed both Moreno and Davidson to score and McKenna to reach second. Brylie St. Clair singled up the middle to score McKenna.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 0
Bottom 3
With one out, Lauren Johnson singled to right field and raced to third when the right fielder misplayed the ball off a hop. Rylea Smith then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Johnson. Erin Coffel doubled over the centerfielder's head and took third on a passed ball. Miranda Stoddard reached safely when the third baseman lost a ground ball on a transfer for an error. Coffel scored on the play. After Stoddard stole second, Renee Abernathy homered to left field.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 4
Bottom 5
With one out, Coffel tripled. She scored by beating a throw home from the shortstop when Stoddard reached on a fielder's choice. Abernathy singled to second base, and Stoddard reached second. With two outs, Emmy Blane double to left-center field, scoring Stoddard and pushing Abernathy to third. Abernathy scored on a wild pitch.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 7
The first seven runs of the ballgame between the two teams were all unearned, and the Bulldogs and Wildcats combined for five errors on the night.
"We know we're going to have to back up our pitchers, and we're going to have to make plays behind them," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "When the free passes and the errors snowball together that leads to a big inning. Credit to Kentucky. They do a great job. They put the ball in play. The put pressure on you with their speed, and there are a lot of good hitters up and down that lineup. I think that's something they took advantage of. A good team like that, you can't give them any extra chances."
MSU (30-20, 8-11 SEC) got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. An infield error allowed Shea Moreno and Mia Davidson to score after they had walked and been hit by a pitch, respectively. Brylie St. Clair then singled up the middle for what would be State's only RBI of the night.
Kentucky (32-14, 10-9 SEC) scored four runs on three hits and two errors in the third, including a two-run homer. In the fifth, a triple a base hit and an RBI double led to three more runs.
Kenley Hawk came on in relief and retired all four batters she faced to close the game. State loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the seventh, but a foul fly ball was caught to end the game.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on adjustments at the plate for the rest of the series…"We have to be more disciplined in our plan. We knew the plan coming in. We didn't trust it, or we didn't execute it. I think, up and down the lineup, trusting the plan a little bit more and being able to execute it a little earlier in the game and consistently throughout the lineup. I thought we had a couple of balls we hit hard, but if we'd been a little more disciplined, I think we could've gotten a few more barrels in there."
Quick Hitters
Mia Davidson – Made a diving catch in foul ground … was hit by a pitch and came around to score … also walked twice.Kenley Hawk – Entered in relief and threw 1.1 perfect innings … needed just 12 pitches.
Shea Moreno – Drew a game-opening walk and came around to score … also singled and laid down a sacrifice bunt to go 1-for-2.
Brylie St. Clair – Singled to drive in a run in the first.
Scoring Recap
Top 1Shea Moreno walked, and Mia Davidson was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Chloe Malau'ulu laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners. With two outs, Jackie McKenna reached on an error by the first baseman who missed the throw following a ground ball. That error allowed both Moreno and Davidson to score and McKenna to reach second. Brylie St. Clair singled up the middle to score McKenna.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 0
Bottom 3
With one out, Lauren Johnson singled to right field and raced to third when the right fielder misplayed the ball off a hop. Rylea Smith then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Johnson. Erin Coffel doubled over the centerfielder's head and took third on a passed ball. Miranda Stoddard reached safely when the third baseman lost a ground ball on a transfer for an error. Coffel scored on the play. After Stoddard stole second, Renee Abernathy homered to left field.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 4
Bottom 5
With one out, Coffel tripled. She scored by beating a throw home from the shortstop when Stoddard reached on a fielder's choice. Abernathy singled to second base, and Stoddard reached second. With two outs, Emmy Blane double to left-center field, scoring Stoddard and pushing Abernathy to third. Abernathy scored on a wild pitch.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 7
On Deck
Mississippi State will play the Wildcats again at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Spangler, T (8-1)
L: Wesley, Aspen (6-7)
Batting:
RBI: St. Clair, Brylie 1
SH: Moreno, Shea 1 ; Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Moreno, Shea 1 ; Davidson, Mia 1 ; McKenna, Jackie 1
HBP: Davidson, Mia 1 ; Cook, Paige 1 ; Hull, Riley 1
Batting:
2B: Johnson, L 1 ; Coffel, E 1 ; Blane, E 1
3B: Coffel, E 1
HR: Abernathy, R 1
RBI: Smith, R 1 ; Stoddard, M 1 ; Abernathy, R 2 ; Blane, E 1
SF: Smith, R 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, L 1 ; Coffel, E 2 ; Stoddard, M 2 ; Abernathy, R 2
SB: Stoddard, M 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
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