State Opens SEC Play With Win Over In-State Rival

Friday, March 8

Oxford, Miss.

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

18-3, 1-0

Ole Miss

15-6, 0-1

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

State Opens SEC Play With Win Over In-State Rival

March 08, 2024 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

OXFORD, Miss. – No. 24/23 Mississippi State opened its first conference series with a 5-1 victory against Ole Miss in Oxford on Friday night.

The Bulldogs never trailed in the contest after pushing across a first inning run despite having an earlier run erased on replay review. State (18-3, 1-0 SEC) added two more in the second on a sacrifice fly from Paige Cook and an RBI walk from Madisyn Kennedy. Salen Hawkins drove in two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

"I thought we did a good job of coming out ready to attack," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "Scoring first is always a goal of ours. We couldn't quite get the big inning, but just trying to make adjustments and find ways to scratch a couple across. Josey [Marron] and the defense did an outstanding job of getting us back in the dugout and keeping the momentum on our side. There were some big pitches by her and plays by the defense behind her, both infield and outfield."

Josey Marron tossed her fourth complete game of the season. It was her seventh career complete game when allowing fewer than two runs. She had the help of her defense behind her turning two double plays. It was the fourth time this year that the Bulldogs turned multiple double plays in a game.

State took advantage of eight walks, which is tied with last year's single-game high in SEC play.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on the team turning multiple double plays...
"It starts with Josey on the mound, just getting ground ball after ground ball for them. Both Kylee [Edwards] and Salen [Hawkins] are just excellent. They've got so much range, big arms. They make such fast turns, and it's something that we haven't really done the last few years. They make it look easy, which is huge for a defense and gets us back in the dugout faster."

Paige Cook on her approach to delivering sacrifice flies…
"It's just really knowing the situation and knowing what the pitchers are trying to do. I just try to not let them succeed in their plan and stay in my plan. I definitely take a lot of pride in it because I'm trying to do everything I can to score some runs for my team. I'm just trying to have a selfless at-bat, a team at-bat and not trying to do too much. Keep it simple and score runs any way I can."

Salen Hawkins on her approach at the plate in the seventh inning…
"The at-bat before I struck out, so I was telling myself to just have fun and hit the ball hard somewhere. Hopefully you'll do your job, and it worked out."

Quick Hitters

Winning the Freebie War – State won the "freebie war" (walks, hit-by-pitches, errors, wild pitches and passed balls), 11-4 … the Bulldogs drew eight walks and were hit by two pitches … State's first run scored on an Ole Miss error.

All Aboard – Eight of nine Bulldog starters reached base in the game.

Turning Two – State turned two double plays in a game for the fourth time this season … MSU has turned 12 this year which ranks third in the SEC … the Bulldogs turned 15 all of last season.

Paige Cook – Hit her fourth sacrifice fly of the season and 10th of her career … now tied for second in MSU career history with Mia Davidson and one shy of the single-season school record … also doubled.

Salen Hawkins – Drove in two runs with a single … also walked and scored … turned her team-leading seventh and eighth double plays of the season.

Scoring Recap

Top 1
Sierra Sacco led off with a single into center. She appeared to score on a Nadia Barbary double into right-center field, but that play was erased on review when it was determined that Sacco left early. Barbary returned to the plate and was hit by a pitch. Paige Cook then walked. With two outs, Madisyn Kennedy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kylee Edwards reached on a fielding error by the pitcher that allowed Barbary to score from third.
No. 24 Mississippi State 1, Ole Miss 0

Top 2
Salen Hawkins drew a leadoff walk, and Brylie St. Clair singled through the left side. With one out, Barbary walked to load the bases. Cook hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Hawkins. Jessie Blaine walked to reload the bases, and Kennedy walked to force home St. Clair.
No. 24 Mississippi State 3, Ole Miss 0

Bottom 6
With one out, Jaden Pone singled up the middle. She advanced to second on Paige Smith's fly out to left field. Lexie Brady singled up the middle to score Pone from second.
No. 24 Mississippi State 3, Ole Miss 1

Top 7
Cook led off with a double to left-center field. Blaine walked to put two runners on. Kiarra Sells pinch ran for Cook, and Saleyna Daniel ran for Blaine. With two outs, Aquana Brownlee pinch hit and singled to the pitcher to load the bases. Hawkins then singled over the third baseman, scoring Sells and Daniel.
No. 24 Mississippi State 5, Ole Miss 1

Next Up

The Bulldogs continue the series at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will air on SEC Network+.

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