The Lady Bulldogs were in desperate need of conference wins after losing two of their three games against LSU last week and losing eight of their first 12 SEC games. The ladies in maroon found their redemption in this weekend’s series against the Kentucky Wildcats, sweeping the Cats in the three-game series here in Starkville.
The Bulldogs started the series by outlasting Kentucky in a 7-6 decision on Saturday afternoon. Jennifer Nelson pitched for her second consecutive victory, allowing eight hits and five runs. Jennifer Nelson also jacked her first long ball of the season, a three-run blast in the second inning.
Kentucky came out of the gate early with a two-run first inning, but the Wildcat pitching couldn’t suppress the firepower of the Bulldog bats. The Lady Dawgs scored all seven of their runs in the first four innings behind hard hitting by Lindsey Nelson and Jennifer Jessup, and a 3-4 day at the plate by Iyhia McMichael. Despite the Cats adding a three-run fifth inning and another run in the sixth, Bulldog reliever Courtney Frank was able to quell the Kentucky rally, giving up one run on three hits to finish out the game.
“We put some runs up early and then sort of hung on,” head coach Jay Miller said of the game. “We got the outs when we needed them today. Courtney (Frank) came in and shut the door and picked up a big save for us.”
This would prove to be the best offensive output the Wildcats could muster against the Dawgs, as State claimed the final two games of the series, holding Kentucky to three total runs on eight total hits. Saturday’s nightcap was a 7-0 gem by the Bulldogs, with Iyhia McMichael having one of her best games of the season in aid to an excellent mount performance by Melissa Massey. McMichael was a perfect 3-3 at the plate, belting her 10th home run of the season, while also stealing two bases and extending her hitting streak to a career-long 20 straight games. Melissa Massey pitched a complete game shutout of the Wildcats, allowing only three hits in seven innings of play and striking out four.
“It was nice to see Melissa (Massey) come out and dominate a ballgame for a change,” Miller said of Massey’s performance. “She struggled in the last few outings, and for her to come out and throw a shutout is a big step for her.”
On Sunday, in the final game of the series, MSU didn’t get off to a great start and allowed Kentucky to take a 3-1 lead in the third, thanks mostly to a two-run double by Nikki Jones, the Wildcat second baseman. The Lady Dawgs rallied, however, for a run in the bottom of that inning, cutting the ‘Cats lead to only one, 3-2. This would remain the score through the Bulldog half of the sixth inning, when freshman Callye Williams launched an RBI double into centerfield to tie the game.
After Brooke Best advanced the runner to third, an Amy Kendall wild pitch sent Callye to home and Kentucky’s chances of winning back to Lexington, as Kate Jaspers plated two security runs on a single to left field.
“It was big in that sixth inning,” Miller said after the game. “Obviously, Callye (Williams) gave us a big hit. (But) you have to look at Kate Jaspers coming up big for us as well with a couple of insurance runs.”
Massey recorded the win again for the Bulldogs, striking out five in a complete game effort, her 12th of the season. Iyhia McMichael added another game to her hitting streak (21), as Jennifer and Lindsay Nelson both had multi-hit afternoons.
The Lady Bulldogs will travel to Madison Thursday to take on Southern Mississippi in the Merchants and Farmers Bank Fastpitch Classic, and then will return to Starkville for a Saturday-Sunday series with SEC West opponent, Auburn.