Bulldogs Hold On To Take Opener From Kentucky, 7-6
Jennifer Nelson Smacks First Career Homer
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State (25-14, 5-8 SEC) scored in each of the first four innings, then held back a late surge by visiting Kentucky (9-22, 1-12) to beat the Wildcats, 7-6, in the series opener Saturday afternoon at the Mississippi State Softball Field.
All-American Iyhia McMichael continued her recent offensive outburst, smacking three singles on a 3-for-4 tally with a pair of stolen bases to stretch her career-long hitting streak to 19 games. Jennifer Nelson highlighted a 1-for-4 tally with a three-run homer in the second, the first dinger of her career. Lindsay Nelson drove in a pair of runs on a 1-for-2 tally (R) to round out MSU?s offensive leaders. Kentucky centerfielder Jessica Nance drove in a trio of runs on a 3-for-4 tally that paced the Wildcats.
Jennifer Nelson (6-4) won her second consecutive decision despite allowing five runs (one earned) on eight Kentucky hits. Courtney Frank came on in relief of Nelson in the sixth, allowing just a lone unearned run on three hits, to notch her second save of the season. Amy Kendall (6-12) took the loss for the 'Cats after allowing seven runs on nine hits.
Kentucky used a pair of hits and a fielding error by second baseman Brooke Best to plate a pair of runs in the first, but Mississippi State responded by scoring seven runs over the next four innings to take a 7-2 lead into the fifth. Kentucky utilized four hits and another error by the Bulldogs in the fifth to plate three runs and cut its deficit to a pair, 7-5, then got one run closer on Nikki Jones? RBI single in the sixth.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 7, KENTUCKY 6
Kentucky 200 031 0 - 6 11 3 Mississippi State 132 100 x - 7 9 3
Kendall and Angus; J. Nelson, Frank (6) and Waterman. W ? J. Nelson (6-4). L ? Kendall (6-12). Save ? Frank (2). 2B MSU, Jessup, L. Nelson. HR ? J. Nelson.