State Cages Panthers In NCAA Region 5 Opener, 4-2
Waterman, Brown Provide Key Hits; Massey Handles The Rest
| MSU centerfielder Iyhia McMichael makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Florida International's Meagan Dontrich in the fifth inning. |
Callye Williams turned in MSU's only multi-hit showing of the day on a 2-for-3 showing at the plate, but got clutch hits from Brown and junior catcher Jennifer Waterman, who provided a pair of RBI on a double in the first. NFCA first team all-South Region selection Iyhia McMichael scored a pair of runs on a 0-for-1 tally and reached base after being beaned in the first inning and drawing a four-pitch walk in the fifth. First baseman Kate Jaspers scored a run on a 1-for-2 clip, with Krystal Tillman scoring once on a 1-for-3 hitting tally.
After MSU starter Jennifer Nelson surrendered an early run on four hits in the first, Melissa Massey (22-12) handled things the rest of the way out and looked near flawless in doing it. Blessed with a 2-1 lead upon entering the game in the top of the second inning, Massey scattered four hits and struck out two in six innings of work, allowing just one earned run in the process. Amanda Nealer (21-9) took the loss for FIU after allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks in five innings of action.
"I thought we got a great performance from Melissa," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "Jen (Nelson) struggled a little bit that first inning so we decided to change it up and Melissa came in and shut them down. That's a huge performance for her on the mound and we got some big hits.
"Jennifer Waterman had a double in the first inning and Blaire Brown came through with bases loaded when we really needed it. I thought that was a good sign. We put people on base and we had people step up and drive them in."
Florida International wasted no time in lighting up the leftfield scoreboard, getting four hits and a key RBI single from Cynthia Turek to take a 1-0 lead, but failed to get more after leaving the bases juiced on a swinging strikeout by Lindsay Tippings. The Maroon and White answered the call in the bottom half of the inning, however, getting a pair of runners aboard via a Jaspers' bunt single and a hit by pitch delivered to McMichael to set the table for Waterman who laced a double just inside the first base bag to clear the bases.
With Massey displaying dominance at times, Florida International finally got something going in the fifth, getting leadoff hitter Stephanie Wolter aboard with one out on a double down the leftfield line before Jennifer Owens brought the runner home two batters later on another double to leftfield.
The Bulldogs got a leadoff single from Tillman to begin its half of the fifth and, after a popout from Jennifer Nelson, moved the runner to second base on a sac bunt from Kate Jaspers. With McMichael staring down Nealer from the batter's box, the Panthers opted to walk the all-American in favor of Waterman, but walked her as well to load the bases. Brown put the Bulldogs up for good moments later on a seeing-eye single through the middle of the FIU infield.
"With an eight-team, double-elimination tournament in only four days, the longer you can stay in the winners bracket, the better chance you have," Miller said. "That is the key, especially to get the first game. We don't have the pitching to come back in the losers bracket if we lose that first game. Our only opportunity really is to stay in the winners bracket at least for the first side. Hopefully tomorrow we can come out and keep that going."
The Maroons will now face top-seeded and seventh-ranked Washington (41-14-1) in the second round of postseason action on Friday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium. The 10-time regional participant Huskies advanced through to the winners bracket on the shoulders of a 5-1 victory over eighth-seeded Creighton (25-23) in Thursday's second game.
#4 MISSISSIPPI STATE 4, #5 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 2
Florida International 100 010 0 -- 2 8 1Mississippi State 200 020 x -- 4 7 0
Nealer, Barrett (6) and Stapf; J. Nelson, Massey (2) and Waterman. W ? Massey (22-12). L ? Nealer (21-9). Save ? None. 2B FIU, Wolter, Owens. MSU Waterman.