Wesley Tosses Second SEC Shutout To Clinch Series At No. 22 South Carolina

Saturday, April 6

Columbia, S.C.

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

28-9, 8-6

#22 South Carolina

27-12, 3-8

Mississippi State

South Carolina

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Wesley Tosses Second SEC Shutout To Clinch Series At No. 22 South Carolina

April 06, 2024 | Softball

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By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Déjà vu struck in Columbia, South Carolina, Saturday as No. 16 Mississippi State again shut out No. 22 South Carolina to clinch the series.

Aspen Wesley did her best to one-up Josey Marron's efforts in the circle from Friday night, holding the Gamecocks (27-12, 3-8 SEC) to just two hits, while striking out a career-high-tying nine. The duo has allowed five total hits through 14.0 innings in the series and walked only two batters.

"I thought Aspen once again was just super efficient. She did a great job of attacking, mixing pitches, locations and speeds," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "She gave us a quality start just like Josey yesterday and kept getting us back in the dugout so we could scratch across more runs for her. I thought she showed a lot of composure, poise and toughness, especially coming back out to finish that game after taking a ball off the arm."

The Bulldogs once again opened the scoring in the first inning as Sierra Sacco came home from first on a Nadia Barbary double. State (28-9, 8-6 SEC) plate two runs in the second on a bases-loaded walk from Aquana Brownlee and a sacrifice fly from Sacco, before Madisyn Kennedy brought home a final run with a bases-loaded walk in the third.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on Aspen Wesley retiring the final 11 straight…
"I think we have a lot of confidence in Aspen, and a lot of our pitching staff on the mound. It just helps us feel like we're in control and we have the momentum. We want to be able to hit for a while and get her more insurance runs every time she's out there dealing for us."

Aspen Wesley on settling in in the late innings…
"In the first inning, I was kind of speeding myself up a little bit, and my teammates could tell because it didn't feel like me. It didn't look like me up there. After they told me to calm down – and of course Mata [Faapito] is really good at doing that and telling me to breathe – I finally started settling in. I guess it helps too when we score up on the scoreboard. That really got me settled and then I just trusted my pitches and didn't try to do too much."

Aspen Wesley on Ella Wesolowski's first career caught stealing…
"At first when she threw it, I knew she had her, and when she got her, I just went absolutely crazy. I was so happy for her. Whenever we got back to the dugout, I was like, 'Yes, Ella!' and she just said, 'Finally, my first one.' That's only your first one. Don't worry, you're going to have plenty more too. Her being so happy about that, I can't wait to see whenever she grows into this in the next couple of years and where she's at."

Ella Wesolowski on her first caught stealing…
"All I was screaming was 'Finally!' I anticipated her going. I just had a feeling and was making sure I was ready on every pitch. Their team was getting some big leadoffs, and I'd tried to pick off a few times. That one I was ready for."

Quick Hitters

Nadia Barbary – Drove in a run with her 14th double of the year … that is tied for the fourth-most doubles by a sophomore in program history and one shy of cracking the top 10 single-season totals … extended her career-long hitting streak to seven games.

Aquana Brownlee – Has reached base in three straight games as a pinch hitter with three RBIs in those games.

Salen Hawkins – Extended her career-long hitting streak to seven games … also walked to reach twice.

Madisyn Kennedy – Drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs … extended her reached-base streak to a career-best 24 games … now has 61 career two-out RBIs, which is tied for third in program history (since 2002) … became the seventh Bulldog in program history to record 20 two-out RBIs in a season.

Sierra Sacco – Tied her season-long hitting streak at four games … drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Aspen Wesley – Recorded her second complete-game shutout in conference play this year … struck out nine and allowed just two hits … retired the first seven hitters in order and closed the game retiring 11 batters in order.

Ella Wesolowski – Caught a runner stealing to end the fourth inning.

Scoring Recap

Top 1
Sierra Sacco led off with a single to right field. She scored from first on Nadia Barbary's double.
No. 16 Mississippi State 1, No. 22 South Carolina 0

Top 2
Ella Wesolowski drew a leadoff walk, and Kylee Edwards singled through the left side. Salen Hawkins walked to load the bases, and Aquana Brownlee pinch hit. Brownlee walked, scoring Wesolowski, and Brylie St. Clair re-entered to run at first. Sacco hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Edwards from third.
No. 16 Mississippi State 3, No. 22 South Carolina 0

Top 4
Edwards drew a leadoff walk, and Hawkins beat out a single to shortstop. St. Clair bunted the runners to second and third for the first out. Sacco walked to load the bases. With two outs, Madisyn Kennedy walked to score Edwards.
No. 16 Mississippi State 4, No. 22 South Carolina 0

Next Up

Mississippi State and South Carolina conclude their three-game set on Sunday. First pitch from Beckham Field is set for 11 a.m. CT, and the game will air on SEC Network+.

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