Solid base running and strength on the pitcher’s mound earned Mississippi State University softball wins this weekend over the Iowa Hawkeyes and propelled MSU to its second-best start in program history. Runs were essential in gaining the advantage on the board, and they became the turning points during crucial innings of all three matchups. 
Senior Sam Lenahan contributed big plays on the offensive end and showed off her strength in the box. Lenahan said having good approaches at the plate was something Assistant Coach Beth Mullins had been working on with the team. 
“I was just trying to have a good approach, sticking to the plan that Mullins talked to us about before the game,” she said. “It ended up working out for me.” 
Lenahan also gave credit to her teammate Alison Owen, a power pitcher who limited Iowa’s hits during the first matchup on Friday. Owen fanned 11 batters and walked just one. 
“Alison pitched an amazing game, and she had great defense behind her,” Lenahan said. “Overall, that’s a really great game.” 
Owen struck out the Hawkeyes in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs failed to score during both of their chances in the bottom of the first and the second inning. MSU finally broke through during the third inning, earning a 2-0 lead over the Hawkeyes. The remainder of Friday’s game saw minimal threats as Owen retired the Hawkeyes in order in the top of the seventh to snag the first victory of the series.
Bulldog Head Coach Vann Stuedeman said a mix of Owen’s pitching and stout defense was key to winning the series opener.
“We needed (Alison’s) strong pitching performance and great defense. I don’t think we had an error. Those two runs held. I’d like to see us definitely push across a few more,” Stuedeman said. 
Prior to Saturday’s game, Lenahan said there may be a different game plan and approach taken in part two of the series, depending on who was on the mound, and it was freshman Alexis Silkwood who boosted the Bulldogs to their 5-0 victory. 
Silkwood has struck out 31 batters in her last 20.2 innings pitched in college and has not allowed a run since her debut against Northern Kentucky at the beginning of the season. Silkwood scattered four hits and fanned 11. 
Hawkeye action in the box was stunted by solid Bulldog defense. MSU drove in three runs in the bottom of the first inning for an early advantage on the board. MSU added another run in the bottom of the second to bump the score to 4-0. 
In bottom of the fourth, another Bulldog run by sophomore Kayla Winfield sealed the deal. After consecutive strikeouts in the fifth and top of the sixth, Silkwood kept Iowa off the board and retired the Hawkeyes in the top of the seventh. 
Owen worked more magic on the mound Sunday limiting Hawkeye hits and striking out five in the first two innings. MSU gained a 2-0 lead over Iowa in the bottom of the second, and Iowa tried to even the score in the top of the fifth, but the MSU defense held tough. 
Bulldog bats would then erupt against the Hawkeyes with a total of seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. Efforts remained unanswered by the Hawkeyes, upping MSU’s winning streak to 14 games, the third-longest run in program history.  
Mullins said this weekend’s series provided quality wins and experience for the Bulldogs as they approach conference play.
“It’s a huge sweep for us. Champions get tough on Sunday, and our girls could not have come out better than they did on Sunday,” she said. “Iowa fought and fought. They had good pitching and quality hitting. Alison did a great job of making them work.”
The Bulldogs will travel to Gulfport, Miss., for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Softball Classic this weekend. MSU will play six games in three days as the Dogs will face the University of Texas at San Antonio, Baylor, Memphis, Nicholls State, Ohio and Texas State throughout the weekend.