McMichael Nabs SEC Player Of The Week Honors
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- In the midst of a 21-game hitting streak, as well as a consecutive successful stolen base streak of 32, junior all-American outfielder Iyhia McMichael was decorated with SEC Player of the Week accolades for the second time in her career, the league office announced Monday afternoon.McMichael, who last received the honor during her freshman campaign in 2001, hit .611 (11-for-18) in six games for the Maroon and White this week, included in which was three extra-base hits (one HR), eight walks, seven runs scored, seven RBI and a perfect 8-for-8 tally on stolen base attempts. She recorded an .889 slugging percentage and a .731 on-base percentage, reaching base safely in 19 of 26 trips to the plate.
Mississippi State posted a 4-2 mark in conference play this week, including its first series sweep of the campaign against Kentucky on Saturday and Sunday, as well as its first home victory over LSU since April 3, 1998. State led every game in its series with the No. 11-ranked Tigers, coming within a handful of plays of posting a three-game series sweep of the four-time SEC champions. MSU defeated the Bayou Bengals 6-2 in the series finale.
"It's nice to see Iyhia get some recognition for her achievements," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "She had a tremendous week, with outstanding series against both LSU and Kentucky. It's nice to see her get rewarded for her play."
In MSU's series with nationally ranked LSU, McMichael went 4-for-9 (.444) with three RBI, five walks and four runs scored. She saved a handful of runs on extraordinary defensive plays in centerfield and scored the gamewinning run against the Tigers in the bottom of the third in the series finale.
In MSU's series with SEC Eastern Division foe Kentucky, McMichael hit 7-for-9 (.778) at the plate with one home run, two doubles, four RBI, three walks and three runs scored. She hit a three-run homer in game two of the series to help propel the Maroon and White to its first series sweep of Kentucky in three seasons.
She currently ranks first on the Mississippi State squad in 11 offensive statistical categories, including batting average (.458), triples (5), home runs (10) and RBI (41). She is a perfect 24-for-24 in the stolen base category this season and needs just three more stolen bases to eclipse MSU's career record currently held by four-time all-American Kellie Wilkerson. McMichael and the rest of the Mississippi State softball team (27-14) will return to action on Thursday evening when the squad heads to Madison to battle Southern Miss (15-19) in the featured game of the M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Madison's Liberty Park. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or by calling the MSU Athletic Ticket Office at (662) 325-2600.