'Dogs Blank Rebels To Finish Off Series Sweep, 1-0
State Moves Above .500 In SEC Play, Wilkerson Matches NCAA Saves Record STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Brooke Best's RBI single in the bottom of the second inning plated Kasey Whitehead with the eventual gamewinner as the Mississippi State softball team (27-19, 9-8 SEC) finished off a three-game series sweep of visiting Mississippi (23-16, 5-10) with a 1-0 victory over the Rebels Thursday afternoon at the Mississippi State Softball Field. Kellie Wilkerson paced the Bulldogs on a 2-for-3 showing at the plate, with Best plating the only run of the game on a 1-for-3 tally. Four other players also recorded base hits for the Bulldogs, with Iyhia McMichael (1-for-2) reaching base twice on a hit and a walk. Three different players recorded base hits for the Rebels. Whitehead (17-8) continued to exhibit her dominance of the Rebel hitters, surrendering just three hits and striking out one in five and two-thirds innings of work to get the win for the Maroon and White. Wilkerson retired the last four Mississippi hitters in order to earn her 12th save of the campaign and build on her nation-leading mark. Rebel starter Lindsey Whatley (7-5) struck out four in the contest, but allowed a run on seven hits and three walks to take the loss. Whitehead, who has not allowed a run in 20 and two-thirds innings against the Rebels in four career appearances, recorded her seventh-straight victory and moved the Roswell, Ga., native into sole possession of fourth place on MSU's career wins list. Wilkerson's 12th save matched an eight-year old NCAA mark set in 1994 by Missouri's Kacey Marshall. It was also the Bulldogs' sixth consecutive victory over its cross-state nemesis and extended the 'Dogs' series lead out to 15-7. After failing to plate a run despite two hits in the first, State scratched the scoreboard in the second with its first three at-bats. Whitehead led off the inning with a double down the left field line, then moved to third on Amy Mosley's ground out to second. Best took a ball with Whatley's first offering, then hammered a pitch into left field to score the runner. The Bulldogs threatened to add to their lead in the fifth, putting runners on the corners with two outs, then loading the bases on an intentional walk issued to Krystal Tillman, but Whatley settled down and got Kate Jaspers to ground out to first and end the threat. Mississippi State will be back in action this weekend when the Bulldogs travel to Auburn, Ala., for a crucial three-game set with SEC West foe Auburn (26-18, 5-10) at the Jane B. Moore Field. The two will open up the series with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and will close out the series on Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m. * Wilkerson Matches NCAA Single Season Saves Record
Mississippi State 1, Mississippi 0Mississippi 000 000 0 - 0 3 0Mississippi State 010 000 x - 1 7 1Whatley and Manley; Whitehead, Wilkerson (6) andMosley. W - Whitehead (17-8). L - Whatley (7-5).Save - Wilkerson (12). 2B, MSU - Whitehead.