FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Mackenzie Toler’s single in the sixth inning scored Caroline Seitz with the go-ahead run Sunday to lift the Mississippi State softball team to a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against Arkansas in a Southeastern Conference game at Bogle Park.
MSU (28-10, 7-7 SEC) earned its 14th come-from-behind win to take the series from Arkansas (14-23, 0-11). The teams will wrap up the series at 6 tonight (SEC Network).
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Amanda Ivy drew a one-out walk and scored on a double to left-center field by Seitz. Toler followed with a single through the right side to give the Bulldogs their first lead.
Alexis Silkwood threw the final two innings to record the save for Cassady Knudsen (1-0), who threw three shutout innings. Knudsen allowed three hits and struck out two. Silkwood recorded her second save by striking out four.
“Another great team win today,” said MSU coach Van Stuedeman, whose team has 49 come-from-behind wins in her tenure in Starkville. “Good pitching, solid defense and a few timely hits, it was just a solid outing all around. Cassady Knudsen got her first collegiate win with three scoreless innings, and big hits from Caroline Seitz and Mackenzie Toler lifted us late when we needed it.”
In the bottom of the first, the Razorbacks recorded their first run of the weekend on a solo home run with two outs.
Sophomore Katie Anne Bailey helped the Bulldogs answer as she led off the second with a solo home run to left field.
Arkansas used another solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to re-take the lead.
Allison Stewart (4-5) suffered the relief loss. She allowed two runs on two hits in three innings
n No. 26 men’s tennis team beats No. 45 South Carolina: At Starkville, the No. 26 Mississippi State men’s tennis team (17-5, 8-2 SEC) defeated No. 45 South Carolina (12-13, 2-8) 4-1 Sunday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
The win extends the Bulldogs’ winning streak to five. It also is the 10th win for MSU in its last 12 matches.
“Very good win for our guys today, especially coming off that tough win against Georgia on Friday,” MSU coach Matt Roberts said. “Sometimes its difficult to come off that kind of emotional high and play against a tough team like South Carolina. We could have been more energetic and more passionate at times, but, being young squad, I thought the guys did a good job of doing what they had to do to get the victory.”
The eight SEC wins are MSU’s most since it earned nine league victories in 2012.
MSU earned wins on courts two and three to take the doubles point.
In singles, the Bulldogs prevailed thanks to hard-fought victories from Mate Cutura, Rishab Agarwal, and Julian Cash. South Carolina secured its point thanks to a win on court four.
MSU will play at 5 p.m. Friday at No. 17 Vanderbilt.
n No. 44 women’s tennis team loses to No. 5 Georgia: At Athens, Georgia, the No. 44th women’s tennis team dropped a 7-0 decision to No. 5 Georgia on Sunday.
MSU dropped to 14-9 and 4-8 in the SEC with the loss, while Georgia earned its ninth home win of the season and improved to 17-4 and 10-1 in the SEC. The defeat was also MSU’s first shutout setback of the season.
MSU will conclude the regular season Saturday with a match at No. 26 Ole Miss.
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