Mississippi State scored 17 runs on their way to two victories Wednesday over the 25th ranked LSU Tigers.
The Bulldogs used a mighty offensive attack to top LSU 13-11 in the first game, while a pitching gem by Kelli Miller produced MSU’s second win of the day.
In the first game, things looked dim for the Bulldogs as LSU’s Camille Harris blasted a lead off home run off of Bulldog pitcher Stephanie Comeaux.
But a RBI double by Tenalda McDonald and a three-run blast by Jennifer Jessup gave the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead at the end of the first inning. Jessup had taken a foul ball off of her thumb on the pitch before the bomb.
Mississippi State was held quiet in the second inning but the Bulldogs exploded for eight runs in the third.
Lindsay Hunley laid down a bunt on a risky suicide squeeze play to give MSU a 5-2 lead. The next four runs came from pinch-hitter Michelle Kinney.
With the bases loaded, Kinney sent big fly over the left field fence putting the ‘Dogs up by seven. The grand slam was the sixth in MSU history and the first since Brooke Best at Florida in 2003. Kinney was elated about the homer.
“I had some big homers in high school, but none compared to this one, especially with it being a grand slam, it’s unmatchable,” Kinney said.
Coach Jay Miller was confident in Kinney’s ability and pleased with the results of the at-bat.
“Kinney has been swinging the bat real good and she has got the potential to hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Miller said. “She is a battler.”
The Bulldogs continued to pound the ball, building their lead to 12-2 by the end of the third, but the game was far from over.
LSU chipped away at the Dawgs lead until the score was 13-8 going into the seventh and final inning.
With no one out and runners on first and second Tiger shortstop Andrea Smith sent a three-run bomb off of the left field foul pole to pull the Tigers to a two run deficit.
With the game on the line and the momentum surging for LSU, Mississippi State sent in it’s fourth pitcher of the night, Kelli Miller.
Miller slammed the door to the LSU comeback with help from shortstop Courtney Bures, who made a fantastic diving stab at a ground ball to force a Tiger runner out at second base.
Miller allowed no runs in one inning of work as the Dawgs won 13-11.
Miller used the closer performance as a warmup as she was the starting pitcher for the second game.
Emily Turner started on the mound for LSU for the second time of the day after being knocked around for four runs in just one-third of an inning in the first game.
The two battled each other for five innings with LSU holding onto a slim 1-0 lead. But the Bulldog bats awoke in the sixth.
Bures scored from third on an error by third baseman Lauren Delahoussaye, tying the game at one all.
MSU was able to get two more runners on base when Callye Williams came to the plate.
Williams stroked her second home run of the year to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. Williams ranks the dinger as one of her best.
“It’s up there, but it’s not the best. The best was probably against Tennessee last year in SEC tournament,” Williams said. “But it was huge because it was against LSU.”
The Bulldogs held onto the lead as Miller finished the game without allowing another run. Miller had two strikeouts on the night and only allowed four hits.
“We got great pitching tonight from Kelli, now we need the others to step up a little bit,” Coach Miller said.
The wins marked Mississippi State’s fourth and fifth wins in a row. The win streak is especially sweet for the Bulldogs as it follows a sour stretch of futility. Previously the Dawgs had lost seven of the last eight.
“We are making our mark and telling people we are here and we’re good and we’re going to beat you,” Kinney said.
Williams agreed with Kinney.
“It’s huge, we come out here and work hard every day, and we’ve put ourselves in a good spot where anything can happen,” Williams said.