Friday, April 8
Starkville
6:00 PM
Mississippi State
25-13, 6-4
9
vs
2
#24 Missouri
23-14, 3-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Missouri
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
6
1
Mississippi State
0
0
1
1
4
3
X
9
11
3
Bulldogs Win Series Opener Over No. 24 Missouri
April 08, 2022 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State scored eight unanswered runs to defeat No. 24 Missouri in the series opener in Starkville. The Bulldogs claimed a 9-2 victory on Friday night.
State (25-13, 6-4 SEC) picked up its sixth come-from-behind win of the season. MSU trailed 1-0 after the first, allowing a run on a pair of errors. Mia Davidson then homered to tie the game in the third, but Missouri (23-14, 3-6 SEC) scored again in the top of the fourth.
"We'll have really clean games, and we'll have games where we can't seem to get on track," head coach Samantha Ricketts. "That's really been the message at practice. We'll start practice in a hole. We'll put some errors and runs on the board for the visiting team and then find a way to fight our way back. It was good to see them work out of it, and to only come out of the inning with one run on the board and be able to battle right back was really good."
In the bottom half of the inning Madisyn Kennedy tied the game again with a home run. The Bulldogs scored four runs on four hits in the fifth and added three more in the third.
Kenley Hawk threw 5.0 innings to earn her 11th win of the season. She struck out five but ran into trouble in the sixth. After loading the bases, Annie Willis came on with the tying run at the plate. She struck out three straight batters to get out of the inning then fanned two more in the top of the seventh to pick up the save.
"That was huge. Coming into the game, bases loaded with no outs. That was big time. That is something she's been working on too. She's worked hard, focusing on coming in during tough situations and not letting the moment get too big. I'm really proud of her. She was able to pick up Kenley's back. That's been the message over the past few weeks. Let's come together as a team and have each other's backs when we're down. It was fun to see everyone pick each other up after that first inning."
Annie Willis on getting out of the sixth-inning jam…
"In that moment, I was just thinking put the ball there and put it in play for the defense could work behind me. We had been working all week on that, and we had been working all week on making the play and making the next play. Also, to not be thinking about anything before and anything after, just living in the moment and making those plays. That is what we did in that situation."
Madisyn Kennedy on the team's offense tonight…
"The plan is to simplify it. Just see the ball and hit the ball, and let it do its thing. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. We have to trust each other and have confidence in each other's abilities to go out there and do it.
Mia Davidson – Hit career home run No. 85 … now tied for seventh in NCAA history … homer was No. 16 on the year … added a single, drew a walk and scored two runs … now has 64 career multi-hit games, which ranks fifth in school history … has reached base safely in 18-straight games.
Kenley Hawk – Allowed one earned run in 5.0 innings … earned her 11th victory of the season.
Madisyn Kennedy – Hit her sixth home run of the season … recorded her fifth multi-hit game and seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
Shea Moreno – Went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored … posted her third multi-hit game in the last four contests and the fifth of her career as a Bulldog.
Addison Purvis – Brought home a run with a two-out, pinch-hit single … also had a pinch-hit, two-run double in the series opener against the Tigers last year.
Annie Willis – Entered the game with bases loaded and no outs in the top of the sixth … recorded three straight strikeouts to escape the jam … picked up her second save of the year and the third of her career … finished with five strikeouts.
Jenna Laird reached third on a double and took third when the shortstop missed the throw back to the infield. Brooke Wilmes hit a ground ball to second and reached on a fielder's choice as the throw tried to nab Laird. Laird scored when the second baseman's throw error was wild.
Missouri 1, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 3
Mia Davidson hit a solo home run to left field to tie the game.
Missouri 1, Mississippi State 1
Top 4
Cassidy Chaumont doubled up the middle when the ball ricocheted off second base and went into right-center field. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after Kara Daly reached on a walk, she scored on another wild pitch to take the lead.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 1
Bottom 4
Madisyn Kennedy tied the game with a solo shot to center field.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 2
Bottom 5
Shea Moreno reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second when Davidson walked. Allison Florian pinch ran for Davidson at first and was retired at second when Chloe Malau'ulu reached on a fielder's choice. Moreno advanced to third on the play. Paige Cook drove in Moreno with a double to right-center that pushed Malau'ulu to third. Jackie McKenna then singled home Malau'ulu. She was pinch ran for by Saleyna Daniel. Matalasi Faapito brought in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Cook and advancing Daniel to second. Addison Purvis pinch hit and drove a single to center to bring home Daniel.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 6
Bottom 6
Moreno singled to left field and advanced to second on Davidson's single. Malau'ulu and Cook drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and score Moreno. Kennedy singled to center field to score Davidson and Malau'ulu.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 9
State (25-13, 6-4 SEC) picked up its sixth come-from-behind win of the season. MSU trailed 1-0 after the first, allowing a run on a pair of errors. Mia Davidson then homered to tie the game in the third, but Missouri (23-14, 3-6 SEC) scored again in the top of the fourth.
"We'll have really clean games, and we'll have games where we can't seem to get on track," head coach Samantha Ricketts. "That's really been the message at practice. We'll start practice in a hole. We'll put some errors and runs on the board for the visiting team and then find a way to fight our way back. It was good to see them work out of it, and to only come out of the inning with one run on the board and be able to battle right back was really good."
In the bottom half of the inning Madisyn Kennedy tied the game again with a home run. The Bulldogs scored four runs on four hits in the fifth and added three more in the third.
Kenley Hawk threw 5.0 innings to earn her 11th win of the season. She struck out five but ran into trouble in the sixth. After loading the bases, Annie Willis came on with the tying run at the plate. She struck out three straight batters to get out of the inning then fanned two more in the top of the seventh to pick up the save.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on Annie Willis in the sixth inning…"That was huge. Coming into the game, bases loaded with no outs. That was big time. That is something she's been working on too. She's worked hard, focusing on coming in during tough situations and not letting the moment get too big. I'm really proud of her. She was able to pick up Kenley's back. That's been the message over the past few weeks. Let's come together as a team and have each other's backs when we're down. It was fun to see everyone pick each other up after that first inning."
Annie Willis on getting out of the sixth-inning jam…
"In that moment, I was just thinking put the ball there and put it in play for the defense could work behind me. We had been working all week on that, and we had been working all week on making the play and making the next play. Also, to not be thinking about anything before and anything after, just living in the moment and making those plays. That is what we did in that situation."
Madisyn Kennedy on the team's offense tonight…
"The plan is to simplify it. Just see the ball and hit the ball, and let it do its thing. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. We have to trust each other and have confidence in each other's abilities to go out there and do it.
Quick Hitters
Paige Cook – Delivered RBIs on a double and a walk … marks her 10th multi-RBI game of the season.Mia Davidson – Hit career home run No. 85 … now tied for seventh in NCAA history … homer was No. 16 on the year … added a single, drew a walk and scored two runs … now has 64 career multi-hit games, which ranks fifth in school history … has reached base safely in 18-straight games.
Kenley Hawk – Allowed one earned run in 5.0 innings … earned her 11th victory of the season.
Madisyn Kennedy – Hit her sixth home run of the season … recorded her fifth multi-hit game and seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
Shea Moreno – Went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored … posted her third multi-hit game in the last four contests and the fifth of her career as a Bulldog.
Addison Purvis – Brought home a run with a two-out, pinch-hit single … also had a pinch-hit, two-run double in the series opener against the Tigers last year.
Annie Willis – Entered the game with bases loaded and no outs in the top of the sixth … recorded three straight strikeouts to escape the jam … picked up her second save of the year and the third of her career … finished with five strikeouts.
Scoring Recap
Top 1Jenna Laird reached third on a double and took third when the shortstop missed the throw back to the infield. Brooke Wilmes hit a ground ball to second and reached on a fielder's choice as the throw tried to nab Laird. Laird scored when the second baseman's throw error was wild.
Missouri 1, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 3
Mia Davidson hit a solo home run to left field to tie the game.
Missouri 1, Mississippi State 1
Top 4
Cassidy Chaumont doubled up the middle when the ball ricocheted off second base and went into right-center field. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after Kara Daly reached on a walk, she scored on another wild pitch to take the lead.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 1
Bottom 4
Madisyn Kennedy tied the game with a solo shot to center field.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 2
Bottom 5
Shea Moreno reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second when Davidson walked. Allison Florian pinch ran for Davidson at first and was retired at second when Chloe Malau'ulu reached on a fielder's choice. Moreno advanced to third on the play. Paige Cook drove in Moreno with a double to right-center that pushed Malau'ulu to third. Jackie McKenna then singled home Malau'ulu. She was pinch ran for by Saleyna Daniel. Matalasi Faapito brought in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Cook and advancing Daniel to second. Addison Purvis pinch hit and drove a single to center to bring home Daniel.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 6
Bottom 6
Moreno singled to left field and advanced to second on Davidson's single. Malau'ulu and Cook drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and score Moreno. Kennedy singled to center field to score Davidson and Malau'ulu.
Missouri 2, Mississippi State 9
On Deck
Mississippi State and Missouri resume the series on Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m. CT. The game will air 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: Hawk, Kenley (11-2)
L: Krings, L. (12-6)
S: Willis, Annie (2)
Batting:
2B: Laird, J. 1 ; Bailey, K. 1 ; Chaumont, C. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Laird, J. 1 ; Chaumont, C. 1
Batting:
2B: Cook, Paige 1
HR: Davidson, Mia 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 1
RBI: Davidson, Mia 1 ; Cook, Paige 2 ; McKenna, Jackie 1 ; Faapito, Matalasi 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 3 ; Purvis, Addison 1
SF: Faapito, Matalasi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Moreno, Shea 2 ; Davidson, Mia 2 ; Malau'ulu, Chloe 2 ; Cook, Paige 1 ; Daniel, Saleyna 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 1
SB: St. Clair, Brylie 1
HBP: Kennedy, Madisyn 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
P/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
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