Despite leaving 10 runners on base through two games, the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs were able to tame the Bulldogs of Samford (5-12) Wednesday evening by scores of 9-1 and 3-1.
In a Battle of the Bulldogs doubleheader, MSU (15-0) was able to continue its school-record winning streak.
MSU pitching still proves to be the dominant force in Bulldog softball, emerging out of the tournament with a combined 0.65 ERA on the season. All three Bulldog pitchers-Ragan Blake, Stephanie Comeaux and Sara Hickerson-saw action in the circle Wednesday night, allowing only seven hits total. The Lady Bulldog trio struck out 14.
“This was a good test for us going into the weekend,” MSU softball head coach Jay Miller said. “Once again, I was disappointed in the way we swung the bats overall. I don’t think we made the adjustments we needed to at the plate. But we got it done.”
Hayle Guess opened up the Bulldog scoring in game one,after getting hit by a pitch to get on base.
While Guess was on third, Samford pitcher Emilee Lewis was called for an illegal pitching motion, allowing Guess to advance and score the first run of the doubleheader.
Guess scored again in the third inning on a Nakita Boyce grounder. Guess then scored one more run, the game winner, on a Courtney Bures hit, to give her three runs scored on a two-for-two outing. Guess stole three bases on the game, pushing her perfect streak to 14.
“I think we score a lot of runs because of this 1-2 combination (of me and Nakita),” Guess said. “Knowing that she’s behind me when I get on base boosts my confidence level.”
Bures also jacked a three-run homer in the fifth inning, driving in herself, Boyce and pinch-runner Rachel Hurley. The homerun was her second of the year and her 19th on her career.
Samford’s only run of the ballgame came in the fourth inning on a Comeaux error.
They would then leave two on base as MSU retired the final batter of the inning. MSU also left two on base in the fifth inning, unable to capitalize on opportunity.
Hickerson relieved Comeaux in the sixth inning, making her second appearance in the circle this season.
This is also only the second game this season that the MSU starting pitcher didn’t pitch a complete game. Comeaux started in both games. Hickerson allowed no hits and one walk in her outing, guiding the home-standing Bulldogs to a 9-1 mercy rule victory.
Samford surprised MSU early in the second game, with slugger Shelley Stanley driving out a homerun early in the second inning on MSU ace Blake.
MSU bounced back in the third inning, when Blair Geddings drove in Lindsay Hunley, pinch hitting for Boyce, to tie the score at one.
MSU went ahead in the fifth inning with a squeeze play that drove in Katie “KJ” Johnson on a Hunley bunt.
Boyce was driven in by a Courtney Bures double in the sixth inning to score the third and final run. That would prove to be all MSU needed, as they went on to win 3-1.
Guess ended her streak of 14-straight stolen bases in the fifth inning when she was thrown out stealing second.
However, she and Boyce combined to go five-for-10 on the evening, scoring five of the Dawgs’ 12 runs.
“Hayle gets on base,” Boyce said, “and when I come up, I’m thinking, ‘move Hayle, move Hayle.’ What I think depends on if she gets on or doesn’t get on. We work well at the top. We both have speed on the bases, so that usually opens up something to happen.”
Miller agrees that Guess and Boyce are major factors in determining the team’s outcome.
“They set the table,” Miller said. “How they go, we go. When they get on base, they make things happen. They steal bases, they cause havoc with the defense. They’re so fast, and they can do so many things, that it really allows us to do a lot offensively.”
The Bulldogs continue on their trek for perfection today in Waco, Texas, at the Baylor Compass Bank Invitational. Today, they face No. 13 Washington (12-3) and host-team No. 18 Baylor (9-5). They’ll also face Bowling Green in the tournament, who is 6-0 on the year.