Friday, February 10
Boca Raton, Fla.
10:30 AM
Mississippi State
2-0
5
vs
4
Loyola Chicago
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Loyola Chicago
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
4
7
1
Mississippi State
1
2
0
1
1
0
X
5
8
3
Faapito’s Homer Lifts Beuerlein To First Career Victory
February 10, 2023 | Softball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – No. 23 Mississippi State won a back-and-forth contest with the help of a big swing from Matalasi Faapito, defeating Loyola Chicago, 5-4, on Friday morning.
Faapito, who started the game in the circle, launched a solo shot to center field to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fifth. She allowed two unearned runs in the circle and left a 3-2 ballgame in the top of the third. Freshman Reis Beuerlein took MSU the rest of the way, tossing 4.2 innings to earn her first career win while striking out five.
Chloe Malau'ulu again paced the State offense, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Freshman Macy Graf, who entered as a defensive replacement in the third inning, also collected a pair of hits and scored MSU's fourth run on Malau'ulu's double in the bottom of the fourth.
Loyola scored twice more in the top of the fifth, both unearned, following an error. Faapito then sent the third pitch she saw over the wall with one out in the bottom half of the frame. Beuerlein turned in a shutdown inning in the sixth, retiring the side in order. She capped her day with a strikeout for the final out of the seventh.
Double 'Em Up – State turned multiple double plays for the first time since Apr. 14 last year at Alabama ... the Bulldogs have turned a double play in each of their first two games.
Reis Beuerlein – Earned her first career win in her second outing … threw 4.2 innings, striking out five of the 20 batters she faced.
Matalasi Faapito – Hit her 38th career home run and No. 15 in maroon and white … homer proved to be the winning run … has now homered four times in her MSU career in games she pitched in (19 appearances).
Macy Graf – Collected her first career hit … went 2-for-2 with a run scored … recorded a career-high three assists.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Turned in her second multi-hit game of the year … also doubled, which was the one hit she was missing for the cycle in Thursday night's season opener … drew two walks.
Kiersten Landers was hit by a pitch before Chloe Malau'ulu drew a walk. Landers was tagged out when Paige Cook hit into a double play, but Malau'ulu advanced to second. She came around to score when Madisyn Kennedy reached on a fielding error by the third baseman.
Loyola Chicago 0, No. 23 Mississippi State 1
Bottom 2
Riley Hull drew a leadoff walk and went first-to-third on Jackie McKenna's single. Aquana Brownlee then hit a grounder to third that got Hull in a rundown on her way to the plate. Hull escaped it to score, and in the process, McKenna reached third while Brownlee took second. Brylie St. Clair brought home McKenna with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Loyola Chicago 0, No. 23 Mississippi State 3
Top 3
With one out, Nova Sinskul reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Jocelyn Currie then walked before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Madison Ebeling walked to load the bases before Amelia Thomas singled up the middle to score the Ramblers' first run. A wild pitch then brought home Thomas.
Loyola Chicago 2, No. 23 Mississippi State 3
Bottom 4
Macy Graf singled for her first career hit to open the inning. Following a line out on a diving play, Brylie St. Clair also singled into center field. With two outs, Malau'ulu snuck a single through the infield to score Graf.
Loyola Chicago 2, No. 23 Mississippi State 4
Top 5
Following a leadoff walk from Currie, Ebeling reached first on a throwing error by the third baseman. That also allowed Currie to take third. Ebeling stole second. A single into left field from Thomas brought home Currie. Ebeling and Thomas then both stole to put runners on second and third. With two outs, pinch hitter Sydney Barnett beat out an infield single to score Ebeling.
Loyola Chicago 4, No. 23 Mississippi State 4
Top 5
With one out, Matalasi Faapito hit a solo homer to center field.
Loyola Chicago 4, No. 23 Mississippi State 5
Faapito, who started the game in the circle, launched a solo shot to center field to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fifth. She allowed two unearned runs in the circle and left a 3-2 ballgame in the top of the third. Freshman Reis Beuerlein took MSU the rest of the way, tossing 4.2 innings to earn her first career win while striking out five.
Chloe Malau'ulu again paced the State offense, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Freshman Macy Graf, who entered as a defensive replacement in the third inning, also collected a pair of hits and scored MSU's fourth run on Malau'ulu's double in the bottom of the fourth.
Loyola scored twice more in the top of the fifth, both unearned, following an error. Faapito then sent the third pitch she saw over the wall with one out in the bottom half of the frame. Beuerlein turned in a shutdown inning in the sixth, retiring the side in order. She capped her day with a strikeout for the final out of the seventh.
Quick Hitters
Career Firsts – Macy Graf collected her first career hit and first multi-hit game … Reis Beuerlein earned her first career victory in the circle … Kat Wallace made her first career start … Aquana Brownlee started at first base for her first appearance at the position.Double 'Em Up – State turned multiple double plays for the first time since Apr. 14 last year at Alabama ... the Bulldogs have turned a double play in each of their first two games.
Reis Beuerlein – Earned her first career win in her second outing … threw 4.2 innings, striking out five of the 20 batters she faced.
Matalasi Faapito – Hit her 38th career home run and No. 15 in maroon and white … homer proved to be the winning run … has now homered four times in her MSU career in games she pitched in (19 appearances).
Macy Graf – Collected her first career hit … went 2-for-2 with a run scored … recorded a career-high three assists.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Turned in her second multi-hit game of the year … also doubled, which was the one hit she was missing for the cycle in Thursday night's season opener … drew two walks.
Scoring Recap
Bottom 1Kiersten Landers was hit by a pitch before Chloe Malau'ulu drew a walk. Landers was tagged out when Paige Cook hit into a double play, but Malau'ulu advanced to second. She came around to score when Madisyn Kennedy reached on a fielding error by the third baseman.
Loyola Chicago 0, No. 23 Mississippi State 1
Bottom 2
Riley Hull drew a leadoff walk and went first-to-third on Jackie McKenna's single. Aquana Brownlee then hit a grounder to third that got Hull in a rundown on her way to the plate. Hull escaped it to score, and in the process, McKenna reached third while Brownlee took second. Brylie St. Clair brought home McKenna with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Loyola Chicago 0, No. 23 Mississippi State 3
Top 3
With one out, Nova Sinskul reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Jocelyn Currie then walked before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Madison Ebeling walked to load the bases before Amelia Thomas singled up the middle to score the Ramblers' first run. A wild pitch then brought home Thomas.
Loyola Chicago 2, No. 23 Mississippi State 3
Bottom 4
Macy Graf singled for her first career hit to open the inning. Following a line out on a diving play, Brylie St. Clair also singled into center field. With two outs, Malau'ulu snuck a single through the infield to score Graf.
Loyola Chicago 2, No. 23 Mississippi State 4
Top 5
Following a leadoff walk from Currie, Ebeling reached first on a throwing error by the third baseman. That also allowed Currie to take third. Ebeling stole second. A single into left field from Thomas brought home Currie. Ebeling and Thomas then both stole to put runners on second and third. With two outs, pinch hitter Sydney Barnett beat out an infield single to score Ebeling.
Loyola Chicago 4, No. 23 Mississippi State 4
Top 5
With one out, Matalasi Faapito hit a solo homer to center field.
Loyola Chicago 4, No. 23 Mississippi State 5
On Deck
The Bulldogs will take a short break before returning to the FAU Softball Stadium to face Bethune-Cookman at 3:30 p.m. CT.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Beuerlein, Reis (1-0)
L: Andie Broniewicz (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Amelia Thomas 2 ; Sydney Barnett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Madison Ebeling 1 ; Nova Sinskul 1 ; Jocelyn Currie 2
SB: Madison Ebeling 2 ; Amelia Thomas 1
Batting:
2B: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
HR: Faapito, Matalasi 1
RBI: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1 ; Faapito, Matalasi 1 ; Brownlee, Aquana 1 ; St. Clair, Brylie 1
SF: St. Clair, Brylie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1 ; Faapito, Matalasi 1 ; Hull, Riley 1 ; McKenna, Jackie 1 ; Graf, Macy 1
HBP: Landers, Kiersten 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballP
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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