STARKVILLE — After posting 15 comeback wins in 2015, the Mississippi State softball team picked up right where it left off by posting two come-from-behind wins Saturday at Nusz Park.
In Game 1, Morgan Bell’s grand slam sparked MSU to an 11-4 victory against Tennessee Tech. In the nightcap, Katie Anne Bailey’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh gave MSU a 2-1 victory against Alabama A&M.
As has been the trend for MSU (4-0) this weekend, strong pitching kept opposing hitters in check and allowed it to continue its winning streak to open the season.
“There are a lot of young faces out there,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “We are trying to get a lot of people opportunities. The future is bright, we’ve got some good kids doing some good things who are some very talented young women.”
Against Tennessee Tech, freshman Regan Green made her first start and struck out three in the top of the first.
Bailey had a two-run double to give MSU a 2-0 lead before Bell’s grand slam to right field gave the Bulldogs the lead for good.
Holly Ward (2-0) had three strikeouts in three scoreless innings of relief.
MSU scored five runs in the sixth highlighted by a two-run triple by Kayla Winkfield. A double by junior Mackenzie Toler accounted for the final margin.
Green struck out nine in four innings pitched. She allowed four unearned runs.
Against Alabama A&M, MSU fell behind 1-0 in the second on an unearned run.
Freshman Cori Cooper entered in relief of starter Cassady Knudsen in the third and excelled in her collegiate debut.
A bunt single and stolen bases on back-to-back pitches from Winkfield set the stage for a sacrifice fly by Bell that tied the game in the fourth.
Cooper struck out nine in four innings. She allowed one hit and one walk.
Green (1-0) entered in the seventh and struck out three.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Bailey ended the game with a single to right that scored freshman Sabrina Turner.
n On Friday, MSU used strong pitching and a balanced offense to beat Houston 9-1 in six innings.
Sophomore Cassady Knudsen (1-0) allowed four hits and struck out four in five innings. Freshman Regan Green struck out two in a scoreless sixth.
Sarah Niu, Katie Anne Bailey, and Amanda Ivy had two hits to pace the Bulldogs.
“It was a solid performance, the bottom of our lineup is performing really well,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “We were solid last night and were able to continue that tonight.”
Niu scored two runs, had two RBIs, and hit her first home run of the season. Bailey scored a run and had three RBIs, while Ivy added an RBI.
Winkfield (RBI), Calyn Adams (RBI), Bell (two runs), and Emily Heimberger (run) also had hits.
MSU will play host to Houston at 11 a.m. today in its final game of the event. Admission is free for MSU’s regular-season home games.
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