Six-Run Fourth Helps State Even Series With Lady Vols, 11-7
Teams Combine For 27 Hits, 18 Runs, Five Errors
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Visiting Mississippi State (23-11, 3-5 SEC) sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run, seven-hit fourth as the Bulldogs stormed back to tie its series with homestanding Tennessee (24-12, 3-5) with an 11-7 victory over the Lady Vols in game two of the three-game set Saturday afternoon at Tyson Park.
Five different players recorded multi-hit days at the plate for the Maroon and White, led by juniors Jennifer Waterman (2-for-2, BB) and Jennifer Jessup (2-for-4), who each drove in a trio of runs. Iyhia McMichael extended her hitting streak to 14 games, scoring three runs on a 2-for-3 tally with two doubles, a walk and a RBI, Jennifer Nelson scored a pair of runs on a 3-for-5 clip and Krystal Tillman drove in a pair and scored two runs on a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Five different Lady Vols also recorded multi-hit days, led by Amber Rhinehart who homered and drove in two runs on a perfect 2-for-2 tally with a pair of walks.
MSU starter Jennifer Nelson allowed three earned runs on six Lady Vol hits through two innings before giving way to Melissa Massey (15-4) who captured the victory despite surrendering four runs on five hits by the Big Orange. Reliever Stephanie Owens worked the last five outs of the game, allowing just a lone hit, to pick up her fifth save of the campaign. Tennessee righthander Stephanie Humphrey started and then relieved and finished the contest for the hosts, allowing six earned runs on eight hits and three walks, but got the no decision. Christy Anch (4-3) came on in relief of Humphrey with one out in the first, but allowed four earned runs on six MSU hits to saddle the loss.
?We were lucky to come away with the split with the way we pitched and played defense today,? said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller of MSU?s opening twinbill with the Lady Vols. ?Some of our hitters had big days at the plate, but obviously we have to get some better pitching.? MSU got a one-out single from Brooke Best and a double from McMichael in the first to put a pair of runners into scoring position for Waterman, who notched a pair of RBI on a single to centerfield that gave the Maroon and White a quick 2-0 lead. Tennessee answered in the bottom of the first, however, using a RBI single from Kristi Durant and a two-run homer from Rhinehart to take a 3-2 lead into the second.
Tennessee used a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases with its first three batters in the third and looked to put the game away, but Massey came on in relief and retired the next three Lady Vols in order to escape the inning. MSU equaled the feat with three-straight singles to begin the fourth, but capitalized on the scoring chance, using a two-run single from Tillman to retake the lead, 4-3. MSU would get four additional runs in the inning on three more hits and a costly error from the hosts to forge an 8-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. Katherine Card?s RBI single in the bottom of the inning cut the UT deficit to four.
State extended its lead out to 11-4 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Waterman and Jessup?s two-run double off the wall in rightfield, but UT would answer the challenge, scoring three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame on three hits and two costly errors from the MSU defense. Mississippi State and Tennessee will close out its series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Tyson Park. First pitch of the series finale is set for 1 p.m. EST.
| MISSISSIPPI STATE 11, TENNESSEE 7 | |||||||
| Mississippi State | 200 | 630 | 0 | - | 11 | 15 | 4 |
| Tennessee | 300 | 130 | 0 | - | 7 | 12 | 1 |
J. Nelson, Massey (3), Owens (6) and Waterman; Humphrey (1,4), Anch (1), Jennings (4) and Durant, Sanders (5). W ? Massey (15-4). L ? Anch (4-3). Save ? Owens (5). 2B MSU, McMichael 2 (6); Jessup (8); Tillman (6). UT, Card (5), Durant (9), Fishback (3). HR UT, Rhinehart (4). SF MSU, Waterman (2).