The Lady Bulldogs returned home Sunday after a sub-par weekend trip to Big Orange country, losing two of three meetings with the Volunteers by a total of 22 runs.
The Bulldogs opened up the three-game series Saturday with a devastating 8-0 loss to the Vols. Despite hits by Iyhia McMichael, Callye Williams and Krystal Tillman, the Lady Dawgs were never able to figure out the pitching scheme of Tennessee freshman Stacey Jennings, who held the Bulldogs to three hits in five innings, allowing no runs and six strikeouts.
In addition to a difficult hitting day, the Bulldogs were unable to muster enough defense to stop the Lady Vols at the plate. Melissa Massey started the game on the mount for the Bulldogs, but, in her toughest outing of the season, was able to last only one inning. The Lady Vols hammered the Dawgs for a 10-hit afternoon, facing three Bulldog pitchers, none able to last over the two-inning precedent set by Massey.
In the late game Saturday, the Bulldogs would claim their lone victory of the road trip, stealing an 11-7 victory from the Volunteers under the onslaught of the Bulldog offense. State out-hit Tennessee 15-12, scoring six of their 11 runs in a huge fourth inning. Jennifer Waterman had a perfect 2-2 game at the plate with three RBI’s, while shortstop Jennifer Jessup also recorded two hits and three RBI’s. Krystal Tillman notched her second and third hits of the series in the game, while Jennifer Nelson had a team-high three hits in five plate appearances.
After pulling the series even on Saturday, the Volunteers sealed the series win on Sunday with a 16-2 effort in the third and final game of the series. The Bulldogs hit well in the game with a seven-hit afternoon but were unable to concentrate those hits into very many runs. The Volunteers were again able to capitalize on the Maroon and White’s pitching woes, blasting the entire Bulldog staff for 16 hits, the worst defeat the Lady Dawgs have ever suffered in the SEC.
“We really got no pitching this weekend,” Coach Jay Miller said after Sunday’s loss. “With the way we pitched, it’s a wonder we were able to win any of the three games. We threw all five pitchers at them, and if we had more, we would have pitched them, too.”
Miller said he was pleased with the team’s offensive output over the series, however.
“Iyhia (McMichael) and Jennifer Nelson both had really good weekends this weekend, and so did a few others, but without the pitching to go along with it, it doesn’t make much difference.”
The Bulldogs must now look ahead to a tough week in SEC play with what now stands at a 3-5 conference record.
“I think we’re still in fine shape,” Miller remarked, “but somewhere we’ve got to start picking up some wins.”
This week the Bulldogs have a three-game home series with 8th ranked LSU on Wednesday and Thursday, and a weekend series against Kentucky which will also be in Starkville.
“This week will be a good challenge for us against LSU and against Kentucky. To beat both of those teams we’re going to have to continue to hit well, and combine that with a good performance on the mound.”
The twinbill with LSU begins Wednesday at 5 p.m. on the Mississippi State softball field.