No. 23 State Erupts On Second Day Of Speedline
Official Game 2 Statistics
Wilkerson Matches NCAA Career Saves Record; Massey Fires No-Hitter PLANT CITY, Fla. -- Starter Melissa Massey fired the first solo no-hitter in two seasons and Mississippi State (15-9) pounded out eight runs on 10 hits as the Bulldogs eased by Nicholls State (6-12) Friday afternoon at the Speedline Invitational in Plant City, Fla. Kellie Wilkerson crossed the plat twice and turned in a pair of RBIs on a 1-for-2 day at the plate, with Lindsay Nelson and Jennifer Jessup collecting an RBI on 2-for-3 showings. Only Two players reached base for the Colonels. Massey (3-3) struck out five and walked two over six innings of work to record State's second no-hitter of the campaign and the first solo no-no since Jennifer Pursell's gem against UMass on March 4, 2000. Duffi Matherne (1-1) allowed seven earned runs in four and two-thirds innings of work to take the loss for Nicholls State. The Bulldogs wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard, using a pair of walks and a flash of sunlight to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Wilkerson reached on a five-pitch walk, then was joined on the basepaths two batters later on a walk issued to Iyhia McMichael. State put both runners into scoring position on stolen bases, then brought the first score across the plate on a wild pitch by Matherne. Nelson extended the lead out to 2-0 when her high pop fly was lost in the sunlight by first baseman Jamee Henry. Mississippi State brought 11 players to the plate in a five-run fifth inning, higlighted by a two-run shot by Wilkerson in the second at-bat, then got a leadoff triple from McMichael and an RBI single from Jennifer Waterman in the sixth to invoke the mercy rule. In Friday's opening game, State put together a trio of multi-run innings and rallied behind a pair of its pitchers to end a two-game skid with an 8-3 victory over North Carolina. Wilkerson collected three RBIs and a pair of runs scored on a 2-for-2 performance with two home runs and two walks. Krystal Tillman (2-for-4) and Lindsay Nelson (2-for-3) also turned in multi-hit performances for the Bulldogs. Two players collected a pair of hits for the Tar Heels. Starter Kasey Whitehead (8-6) struck out one and allowed a pair of earned runs in three and two-thirds innings of work to nab the victory for the Bulldogs. Wilkerson struck out seven in the remaining three and one-thirds innings to record her NCAA recrd-tying 24th career save. North Carolina starter Erica Ennis (2-2) allowed seven hits and six earned runs in three and one-thirds innings to take the loss for the Tar Heels. North Carolina got two hits in its first three at-bats of the contest to plate speedy leadoff hitter Tiffany Tolleson, then pushed the lead to 2-0 three batters later on Shannon Walsh's RBI single to rightfield. Mississippi State answered with Wilkerson's solo home run in the bottom of the first, then plated three runs on a pair of second-inning hits to take the lead for good. North Carolina used a hit and a pair of Mississippi State fielding errors to plate an unearned run in the top of the sixth, but State responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame to extend its lead out to 6-3. The Bulldogs plated a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a wild pitch from Ashley Allen and a two-out RBI single by Tyeah Patterson to provide the final. The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday when they close out round-robin pool play at the Speedline Invitational with a 11 a.m. CT contest against Temple. With a victory, State will qualify for championship bracket play beginning at 4 p.m.
Game 1 - #23 Mississippi State 8, North Carolina 3North Carolina 200 100 0 - 3 7 0 Mississippi State 130 202 x - 8 11 2Ennis, Allen (4) and Anter; Whitehead, Wilkerson (4)and Brown, Waterman (6). W - Whitehead (8-6).L - Ennis (2-2). Save - Wilkerson (6). HR: MSU -Wilkerson 2 (5). 2B: MSU - Brown (4).Game 2 - #23 Mississippi State 8, Nicholls State 0(6 Innings) Nicholls State 000 000 - 0 0 0 Mississippi State 200 051 - 8 10 1Matherne, Blanco (5) and Hebert; Massey and Brown,Waterman (5). W - Massey (3-3). L - Matherne (1-1).Save - None. HR: MSU - Wilkerson (6). 3B: MSU -McMichael (5).