The Mississippi State University softball team continued to show flashes of its talent on the big stage, finishing the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational with a 3-2 record.
Day one in Clearwater, Florida, the Bulldogs flexed their muscles and secured victories against the Indiana University Hoosiers and the University of Arizona Wildcats.
Senior infielder Aquana Brownlee, graduate outfielder Kiersten Landers, senior infielder Madisyn Kennedy and freshman infielder Macy Graf all hit homers in game one against Indiana. The game came to an end in the fifth inning via a run rule. The score totaled 12-2 for a dominating Mississippi State win.
The Bulldogs’ momentum did not waver in their next game Friday against No. 10 Arizona. MSU picked up where it left off earlier in the day, as the Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead. However, Arizona pried its way back into the game, as the Wildcats tied the score at the end of the third inning.
MSU got back on safe grounds after scoring two runs in the fourth inning. Graf hit a two-run homer in the seventh, securing the win for the Bulldogs by a final score of 6-3.
Bulldogs head coach Samantha Ricketts expressed her pride in the way her team came out to play on day one of the tournament.
“I’m just really proud of the way we came out and competed against a ranked team,” Ricketts said. “It’s fun to see the girls not be intimidated and not be scared and get after it and compete. That’s exactly what they did today.”
The Bulldogs’ second day was a bit shakier than their first. MSU battled No. 25 University of Michigan in a tightly contested game that, eventually, fell out of Mississippi State’s hand in the seventh inning.
MSU scored three runs in the third inning, resulting in a hopeful start. However, errors from the field allowed Michigan to tie up the game in the fourth.
The matchup was close, but the Bulldogs let the win slide right through their gloves as Michigan came out on top, 5-4. Although the loss was tough, the Bulldogs still had a full day of games ahead.
On the third and final day of the tournament, Mississippi State finished the invitational with a win against the University of South Florida and a tough loss to No. 20 University of Central Florida.
The Bulldogs came out hot on Sunday with a shutout in their first game against the South Florida Bulls.
MSU stayed sharp defensively, keeping the Bulls scoreless the entire game. As the fifth inning rolled around, the Bulldogs stacked on two more runs that secured the win 8-0.
The Bulldogs tried to keep up with UCF but just barely missed the mark. The two teams were tied 1-1 in the first inning, but the Knights powered through to gain the advantage.
Mississippi State failed to score any runs in the seventh inning, and UCF pulled out the 6-5 win during an exciting game to end the invitational.
Coach Ricketts spoke on her team’s performance in the close game against the Knights.
“I thought it was a hard-fought game,” coach Ricketts said. “I liked our response and how we continued to fight. That’s another quality opponent that’s a Super Regional team [from last year]. That’s exactly where we want to be, and we’ve got to figure out a way to clean things up.”
The Bulldogs now hold a 6-4 overall record in this young season and will compete in the South Alabama Invitational against Tulsa, South Alabama, Louisiana Tech and Furman in Mobile, Alabama, this weekend.