State Drops Back-And-Forth Slugfest On Sunday

Sunday, March 10

Oxford, Miss.

3:00 PM

Mississippi State

19-4, 2-1

Ole Miss

16-7, 1-2

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

State Drops Back-And-Forth Slugfest On Sunday

March 10, 2024 | Softball

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By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

OXFORD, Miss. – No. 24/23 Mississippi State battled in an offensive slugfest on Sunday but came up short as Ole Miss won, 10-9, in walk-off fashion on a solo homer in the eighth inning.

The Bulldogs (19-4, 2-1 SEC) had clinched the series on Saturday and scored first, jumping out to a three-run lead in the first on Madisyn Kennedy's first home run of the day. Ole Miss responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to kick off a game that saw the two teams combine to score a run in 11 of 16 half innings.

"This is why it's the toughest conference in college softball. Every weekend feels like a super regional," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "You have to bring it every single day, and we know that it doesn't matter how the first two games went. You have to be locked in for Day 3 as well. Big credit to Ole Miss. I thought they came out fighting as well. It's something for us to continue to learn. We had chances and just needed a two-out RBI there at the end of the game. I like the fight that they had to come back and feel the pressure of an extra-inning game in conference play. It's something we haven't had to feel yet, so I think, in the long run, it's almost going to be good for us."

Kennedy added a two-run blast in the third, extending MSU's lead to 6-2, it's largest of the day. The Rebels (16-7, 1-2 SEC) plated four in the bottom of the third to tie the game and took a one-run lead in the fourth. State tied the game in the fifth before scoring twice in the sixth. Ole Miss again tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, and nearly won it in the seventh, but Kylee Edwards made a play deep in the hole at shortstop for the final out at first as the would-be-winning run raced for the plate.

The Rebels' Lexi Brady opened the eighth inning with a walk-off homer to center to end the game.

Kennedy finished the day reaching base in all five trips to the plate. She collected a career-high-tying five RBIs on her two homers and added a double and a pair of walks. Salen Hawkins and Jessie Blaine both recorded their seventh multi-hit games of the season, which leads the team.

Quotables

Madisyn Kennedy on her day at the plate and offensive success in the series…
"You know, we're just swinging. That's it. My approach is just whatever's going to happen is going to happen. It's okay. At the end of the day, the Lord still loves me, and things are good. I have not [had a stretch like this before]. I'm really just thinking about my senior year, going out with everything I can and just giving it my all for my teammates."

Samantha Ricketts on Madisyn Kennedy's performance at the plate…
"Madi's really shown glimpses throughout her career, but this is the most free I think I've ever seen her play. She's relaxed. She's confident and having fun. She's really playing with nothing to lose. It's just fun to see that take over and see the results on the scoreboard. She's been a great leader all year long. She really made it a big part of her goal to connect with her teammates. She wants to go out and make sure that even though she has one year with this freshman class that she can build some connections. I think that confidence, that mentality and that leadership has really led to what she's doing in the box as well."

Quick Hitters

Two Outs, So What – The Bulldogs scored five of their nine runs with two outs … Paige Cook brought home her team-leading 11th two-out RBI … Cook now has 55 career two-out RBIs, which is sixth in school history.

Sacrifice Made – Kylee Edwards hit State's 15th sacrifice fly of the season, which is already just one shy of the top five totals in school history … MSU is averaging 0.65 sacrifice flies per game, which is double last season's pace when State set the school record with 17.

Nadia Barbary – Doubled in a run … also drove in a run with a fielder's choice.

Jessie Blaine – Singled twice her team-leading seventh multi-hit game of the season … scored once, and her pinch runner scored in the fifth.

Paige Cook – Collected a season-high-tying three hits … singled home a run with two outs in the sixth.

Salen Hawkins – Went 2-for-3 for her team-leading seventh multi-hit game of the season … also walked and scored.

Madisyn Kennedy – Hit her team-leading sixth and seventh home runs of the season … tied her career high with five RBIs last set against South Carolina on March 19, 2023 … tied her career high with three hits last set against Kentucky on April 29, 2023 … also doubled and walked twice to reach in all five trips to the plate … first multi-homer game since she hit two against Kentucky on April 29, 2023 … now has 30 for her career, which is tied with Sam Lenahan (2011-14) for seventh in school history.

Scoring Recap

Top 1
Sierra Sacco led off with a walk, but she was retired at second when Nadia Barbary reached on a fielder's choice. Paige Cook singled up the middle before Madisyn Kennedy hit a two-out, three-run homer to left.
No. 24 Mississippi State 3, Ole Miss 0

Bottom 1
With one out, Jalia Lassiter singled up the middle before Paige Smith walked. With two outs, Jamie Mackay walked to load the bases. Aynslie Furubsh walked to score Lassiter, and Delaney Rummell reached on an error that allowed Smith to score.
No. 24 Mississippi State 3, Ole Miss 2

Top 2
With one out, Salen Hawkins, Brylie St. Clair and Sacco drew three straight walks to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Barbary reached on a fielder's choice that saw St. Clair retired at third while Hawkins scored.
No. 24 Mississippi State 4, Ole Miss 2

Top 3
Jessie Blaine singled to second base to lead off before Kennedy hit her second homer of the day.
No. 24 Mississippi State 6, Ole Miss 2

Bottom 3
Mackay doubled down the left field line. With one out, Rummell singled into right field to put runners on the corners. Angelina DeLeon doubled to the right-center gap to score both runners and advanced to third on a throwing error to the plate. After a pitching change, Annie Orman pinch hit and homered to left field.
No. 24 Mississippi State 6, Ole Miss 6

Bottom 4
Lexie Brady walked to open the frame. She moved to second on Mackay's ground out to the pitcher. Furbush singled through the right side to score Brady.
No. 24 Mississippi State 6, Ole Miss 7

Top 5
With one out, Blaine singled through the left side, and Jadyn Burney pinch ran at first. Kennedy doubled down the left field line to advance Burney to third. She scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Kylee Edwards.
No. 24 Mississippi State 7, Ole Miss 7

Top 6
Hawkins singled to center to open the inning. With one out, Sacco reached on a fielder's choice that saw Hawkins retired at second. Barbary doubled into the right-center gap to score Sacco from first. Kat Wallace ran for Barbary at second. She scored on Cook's single through the right side.
No. 24 Mississippi State 9, Ole Miss 7

Bottom 6
Smith beat out an infield single to short to open the frame. Brady was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Mackay laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Furbush singled off the pitcher's glove to score Smith and advance Brady to third. Brady scored on Rummell's sacrifice fly to right.
No. 24 Mississippi State 9, Ole Miss 9

Bottom 8
Brady led off with a walk-off solo home run to center.
No. 24 Mississippi State 9, Ole Miss 10

Next Up

Mississippi State's doubleheader with Memphis that was scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, will be postponed and rescheduled at a later date due to injuries within the Tigers' program. The Bulldogs are still set to host ULM on Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. CT before welcoming No. 17/19 Texas A&M for a three-game series on March 15-17 at Nusz Park.

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

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Brianna Lopez (2-0)

L: Marron, Josey (7-1)

Mississippi State

Batting:

2B: Barbary, Nadia 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 1

HR: Kennedy, Madisyn 2

RBI: Barbary, Nadia 2 ; Cook, Paige 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 5 ; Edwards, Kylee 1

SF: Edwards, Kylee 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Sacco, Sierra 1 ; Barbary, Nadia 1 ; Wallace, Kat 1 ; Cook, Paige 1 ; Blaine, Jessie 1 ; Burney, Jadyn 1 ; Kennedy, Madisyn 2 ; Hawkins, Salen 1