Arkansas Completes Three-Game Sweep Of 'Dogs With 7-0 Victory
Mississippi State Strands 11, Surrenders Four Unearned Runs In Setback FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The Arkansas softball team (37-22-1, 13-14 SEC) plated an early run, then added six more in the fifth and sixth, to complete a three-game series sweep of visiting Mississippi State (31-27, 10-16) with a 7-0 victory over the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at Lady 'Back Yard in Fayetteville, Ark. Kate Jaspers (2-for-3, BB) and Kellie Wilkerson (2-for-4) both turned in multi-hit showing to spark the Bulldogs, with Iyhia McMichael adding a pair of walks on a 1-for-2 day at the plate. Four different players turned in 2-for-3 tallies for Arkansas. MSU starter Kasey Whitehead surrendered just one earned run on five Arkansas hits, but took the loss with the absence of run support. Arkansas starter Heather Schlichtman (19-7) struck out eight and scattered seven hits in recording her ninth shutout of the season. The Maroon and White put two runners aboard in the first frame, getting Kellie Wilkerson (fielder's choice) into scoring position with two outs, but Schlichtman got Lindsay Nelson to ground out and exit the inning. Arkansas got Blaire Woodward to second base via a one-out single and a stolen base in the bottom of the inning, setting the tables for White two batters later who delivered a single through the left side to give Arkansas a 1-0 lead. The Lady Razorbacks threatened again in the second, getting a leadoff single from Kim Eiben, then sacrificing the runner into scoring position with the next at bat. Whitehead settled, however, and retired the next two Arkansas batters on groundouts to escape the threat. State put a pair of runners into scoring position with two outs in the third, thenloaded the bases after Iyhia McMichael was issued an intentional walk. Schlichtman got out of the inning moments later, though, striking out Lindsay Nelson and forcing MSU to leave the bases juiced. Eiben led off the bottom of the fourth to give Arkansas its fifth runner in scoring position of the contest, then the Lady 'Backs got two runners into scoring position on Nicole Deeter's bunt and stolen base moments later. With Wilkerson on in relief of Whitehead, however, Arkansas went down 1-2-3 to get the Maroon and White out of a serious threat. MSU put runners at first and second by way of a defensive error and a Wilkerson single with one out in the fifth, then got runners on the corners with two outs on McMichael's fielder's choice. The Maroon and White, however, stranded its seventh and eighth runners of the contest though after Jennifer Nelson went down swinging minutes later. Arkansas got a leadoff single from Woodward in the fifth, then put a pair runners in scoring position two batters later after a sac bunt from Julie Young and a single and a stolen base by Danica White. Stephanie Hunters RBI groundout with the next at-bat extended the host lead out to 2-0. The Lady 'Backs loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, then got an RBI single from the bat of Julie Young and a three-base error from rightfielder Jennifer Nelson with the next at bat to extend its lead out to 6-0. A pass ball from Wilkerson to the next batter plated the final run of the contest. The Maroon and White loaded the bases with two outs in the last frame, but Schlichtman struck out Whitehead to end the game. Mississippi State will return to action this weekend when the Bulldogs close out their 2002 regular season with a three-game home series against SEC Eastern Division foe Florida (32-30, 12-15) at the Mississippi State Softball Field. The Bulldogs and Gators will open up their set in a 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon doubleheader and will close out their series on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Admission to all 2002 Mississippi State sotball home games is free of charge. Sunday's series finale will be preceded by Senior Day festivites as the Maroon and White will pay tribute to a pair of outstanding seniors in staff ace Kasey Whitehead and three-time all-American Kellie Wilkerson. All games of the three game set can be followed via this live stats link.
Arkansas 7, Mississippi State 0Mississippi State 000 000 0 -- 0 7 1Arkansas 100 015 x -- 7 9 1Whitehead (1,6), Wilkerson (4) and Mosley;Schlichtman and White. W -- Schlichtman (19-7).L -- Whitehead (18-12). Save -- None.