Lindsay Nelson’s pinch hit RBI single with two outs in the sixth inning plated Krystal Tillman with the game-winning run as the Mississippi State softball team (24-19, 6-8 SEC) avoided the three-game series sweep with a 3-2 victory over Kentucky (18-19, 3-9) Sunday afternoon at the UK Softball Complex. Iyhia McMichael plated and scored a run on a 2 for 3 hitting performance for the Bulldogs and also recorded a walk. Tillman turned in a multi-hit performance at the plate, hitting 2 for 4. Sandi Dengler paced UK on a 2 for 3 tally with a run scored.
MSU reliever Kasey Whitehead (14-8) came on in relief of starter Melissa Massey in the third inning and pitched a gem of an appearance, allowing just one hit and striking out five in five innings of work, to collect the victory. Kentucky starter Jennifer Howland (6-6) allowed three runs on nine Mississippi State hits to saddle the loss.
The Bulldogs bit the scoreboard quickly, getting a runner into scoring position with its first two at bats of the game before McMichael laced a double down the right-field line to score the run, then moved to third base on the throw. Howland retired Kate Jaspers on a grounder to first, but State extended its lead to a pair with its next at bat when Tillman’s routine fly ball to right field was misplayed by Jessica Nance.
Kentucky got its first batter of the ball game when Sandi Dengler belted a single to left field, then moved to third on a two-base error by Tillman. Massey pitched around Nikki Jones and gave the batter a free pass before the Blue and White plated its first run of the game on Lyndsey Angus’ hard infield hit to the right side.
State put its first out on the board with the next at bat, but Andy Eilerston inflicted more damage when she tied the score at two on a hard hit through the left side. State got out of the inning moments later when Amy Mosley gunned down Angie Dal Pozzo attempting to steal third. With the reliever Whitehead holding down the ‘Cats from the circle, State put its first two batters of the fifth on via base hits, then moved both into scoring position with a sac bunt by Jennifer Nelson.
Kentucky opted to load the bases by issuing a free pass to McMichael, then got out of the inning on Jaspers’ fly ball to left field that Dengler collected, then delivered to home plate to catch Jennifer Jessup attempting to score to finish out the double play and get the Wildcats out of the inning.
Tillman collected an infield single to lead off the sixth for the Bulldogs, but was followed by two straight flyouts to the outfield; however, Brooke Best collected her first hit of the game after legging out an infield single to put two runners aboard and set the table for Lindsay Nelson’s clutch pinch hit.
Mississippi State will return to action on Wednesday when the Bulldogs return home to host cross-state nemesis Mississippi under the lights of the Mississippi State Softball Field.
The two will open up the three-game set in a 5 p.m. Wednesday doubleheader and will close out the series on Thursday with a single contest at 5 p.m. Admission to all 2002 Mississippi State softball home games is free of charge.
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 2
MSU 200 001 0 – 3 9 1
Kentucky 200 000 0 – 2 6 1
Massey, Whitehead (3) and Mosley; Howland and Angus. W – Whitehead (14-8). L – Howland (6-6). Save – None. 2B: MSU – McMichael 2