The MSU softball squad began its fall exhibition schedule Sunday, defeating Alabama-Huntsville and Wallace State by scores of 3-2. The games were a part of MSU’s fall softball tournament, the first in a series of three fall tournaments MSU will host this semester in Starkville.”This tournament was a good start for the opening weekend,” MSU associate head coach Annie Smith said. “Our freshmen did well, and our pitchers pitched extremely well. Everyone played hard so I think it was a success.”
MSU pitching dominated the tournament, allowing only 10 hits overall on the day.
Junior Kelsey Nurnberg tossed a complete game four-hitter against UAH, striking out four on the outing.
Also striking out four against Wallace State were freshman Misty Flesher and sophomore Jessie Bailey, who together gave up just six hits to the Lions.
Sophomore catcher Chelsea Bramlett, who totaled 4-for-7 on the day, scoring one run, led MSU’s offense.
She also added two stolen bases in the game against UAH. As a whole, MSU hit at an impressive .308 mark.
Five of MSU’s six runs came in the sixth inning or later in each game but coach Annie Smith said she doesn’t see that as a danger to the team.
“Even though our runs came in the latter parts of the game, we don’t see it as a problem,” Smith said. “We’ve been practicing for a while, and it just shows our team can fight and make the adjustments we need to make.”
UAH actually gained the lead first over MSU in the fifth inning, scoring two to break the scoreless tie.
The Bulldogs countered in the sixth inning, however, powered by Lindsay Hunley’s 2-RBI double that scored Gina McCloud and Ali Bainbridge.
A costly throwing error by the Chargers’ Beth Lawson allowed Chelsea Bramlett to score the winning run in the seventh inning.
The Bulldogs took the lead first against WSCC with an RBI single from Courtney Nesbit in the third inning.
Wallace State came back to tie the game in the sixth but MSU scored again in the bottom half of the inning gain a 3-1 lead.
Bainbridge and Jessie Spain chalked up the final two RBIs for the Lady Bulldogs.
The Lions scored again in the seventh to close the gap to 3-2, but Flesher was able to retire WSCC before they could score again.
“Our goals for the exhibition tournaments are mainly to get everyone experience, especially the young players,” Smith said. “We get to try players in different positions and see how our pitching is going to be, so we just try to get everyone in and get them game time.”
The MSU softball team is peppered with six freshmen, which is twice as much as the team fielded last year.
“Both of our freshman pitchers got some key innings in and did a very nice job,” Smith said. “Ali Bainbridge had some very nice innings of play and got several good hits. We also had some good defense from our young players. Overall, I think they played really well.”
The Bulldogs will look to continue their exhibition success in their second fall tournament Sunday, as the team will duel with Arkansas Tech and East Mississippi Community College. Game times will be at 1 and 3 p.m.