Bulldog Softball Opens Road Slate At Texas A&M
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State softball team opens the 2010 road slate this weekend, taking its 4-0 start to College Station, Texas, for the Aggie Classic.
The Bulldogs hit the diamond Friday, challenging Louisiana-Monroe and the host Aggies at 12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. MSU will face Oregon State at 10 a.m. Saturday before meeting Texas A&M in a 3 p.m. first pitch. Head coach Jay Miller's squad closes the weekend Sunday against OSU at 10 a.m.
Mississippi State makes the trek to College Station after winning the Bulldog Round-Robin to open the season last weekend. The Dawgs' pitching staff posted a stellar effort in the circle, compiling an SEC-best 0.27 ERA after allowing just two runs over the four-game set.
Redshirt sophomore Misty Flesher picked up two of State's wins, giving up just two runs in 10 innings of work while striking out six.
Freshman Kylie Vry enjoyed a stellar debut, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors after tossing eight hitless innings and striking out six. Vry went the distance in Sunday's win over Stephen F. Austin, hurling the program's first no-hitter since the 2006 season.
Offensively, junior Brittany Bell earned Bulldog Round-Robin Most Valuable Player accolades after hitting .500 (7-for-14) with a double, a home run, five RBI and five runs scored. Senior Jessie Bailey paced the Maroon and White at the plate, tallying a .545 average with a double and an RBI.
Junior Jessie Spain notched three doubles and a triple on the weekend, while classmate Ali Bainbridge hit .417 with two doubles, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored.
ULM enters the weekend with a 3-1 record on the season after dropping a decision to LSU Wednesday night. Roxane Cassel paces the Warhawks at the plate, hitting .538 (7-for-13) with two doubles, a home run and three RBI. Janel Salanoa, a .429 hitter, leads Louisiana-Monroe with five RBI.
In the circle, Heather Fritz has won two of the team's three games this season. She has allowed a run and 10 hits while striking out 10 over 11.1 innings.
Texas A&M has jumped out to a 5-1 start to the year thanks to the big bats of Meagan May and Macie Morrow. Both enter the weekend boasting .474 batting averages, with May contributing a team-leading three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. Morrow has the team's lone triple while driving in three runs and scoring a team-best seven times.
Rhiannon Kliesing has claimed wins in all three appearances this season. Kliesing has compiled a 2.72 ERA, giving up seven runs and 12 hits while striking out 33. Rebecca Arbino has tallied a 2-1 record despite being touched for 10 runs and 22 hits over 20 innings.
Oregon State has opened the year with a 2-3 record thanks to the strong hitting of Mary Claire Brenner and Paige Hall. Brenner has tallied a .500 average this season while belting six home runs and driving in 16 runs. Hall has gone 6-for-13 at the plate (.462) while also collecting all of the Beavers' decisions in the circle. Over 26.1 innings, Hall has allowed 14 runs (nine earned) on 27 hits. She has struck out 23 while walking just six on the year.