STARKVILLE — Logan Foulks tied the game with a home run and Shelby Fisher delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to lead the Mississippi State University softball team to a 2-1 victory against No. 12 LSU before a crowd of 646 at the MSU Softball Field.
The victory against the 2012 Women’s College World Series participant helped MSU (16-5, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) snap a 21-game losing streak to LSU (18-5, 1-1). The victory is the Bulldogs’ first against the Tigers since a doubleheader sweep on March 30, 2005.
“This is a great win for Starkville’s team,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “The crowd was packed, and I could not be prouder of our fans as well as the resiliency of our players and their willingness to fight back.”
The victory came less than 16 hours after a 1-0 loss in 14 innings in a pitchers’ duel for the ages. The teams will wrap up the series at 1 p.m. today.
Senior left-hander Stephanie Becker allowed four hits in five innings. Fellow senior lefty Kylie Vry (2-2) picked up the win in relief, striking out two in a scoreless sixth. Allison Owen, the two-time SEC Pitcher of the Week and this week’s National Pitcher of the Week, earned her SEC-leading third save with a pair of strikeouts in a hitless seventh.
“I don’t believe we walk out victorious without all three of those pitchers today,” Stuedeman said. “Kylie Vry received the win and there are major leaguers out there who get paid millions of dollars to throw a scoreless inning, so hats off to her.”
LSU junior right-hander Meghan Patterson (3-2) suffered the loss, surrendering two runs on four hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. Fellow junior righty Ashley Czechner recorded the final two outs in the bottom of the sixth with one hit allowed.
LSU scored first courtesy of a suicide squeeze bunt single in the top of the fifth by center fielder A.J. Andrews.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Foulks sent an 0-1 offering over the left-center field wall to tie the game.
Junior Sam Lenahan drew her third walk of the game and her team-high 20th on the season. Pinch running for the junior slugger, freshman Kayla Winkfield swiped second base on the first pitch of senior Jessica Cooley’s at-bat. She advanced to third on a strike three swinging wild pitch that put Cooley on first. With runners on the corners, Fisher sliced the game-winning single through the left side of the infield.
n On Friday, the teams played the longest game in MSU history. LSU All-American Rachele Fico (11-3) went all 14 innings, throwing 206 pitches and striking out 22. She walked three in the three-hour, 23-minute game.
Owen (9-2) gave up a solo home run to A.J. Andrews in the 14th. She allowed seven hits on 186 pitches in 14 innings. She struck out 10 and didn’t walk a batter.
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