BY CALEB GARNER
Special to the Dispatch
STARKVILLE–Mississippi State has no time to lament a tough offensive night with a huge Southeastern Conference softball series at No. 17 Tennessee on the horizon.
In a nationally-televised pitching duel on Wednesday night at Nusz Park, the Bulldogs were held to five hits and fell to Central Arkansas, 1-0.
The SEC Network had the first-ever national broadcast from MSU’s new home park and fans got to see a dominant pitching performance from UCA’s Kayla Gomness.
Bulldog junior catcher Katie Anne Bailey singled in the first inning to lead off the game for MSU, which extended her current hitting streak to five games. However, she was called out on an inning-ending double play.
In the third inning, MSU junior outfielder Amanda Ivy doubled, extending her current on-base streak to seven consecutive game. Ivy earned two hits in her two at-bats of the game.
The Bulldogs (20-9, 1-2 SEC) also had a pair of runners caught stealing in the sixth inning. In the end, UCA’s first-inning run proved too much to overcome.
“Coach (Samantha) Ricketts really helps us (with our hitting),” Ivy said. “She goes in there and has a plan for us. We just have to know we can hit and have confidence. Everyone in the stands has confidence in you, you just have to have it in yourself. We have been doing that and I have been doing that and I think that is why I have been successful.”
Gomness (5-2) pitched a gem throwing her team’s fifth shutout of the season.
MSU head coach Vann Stuedeman complimented Gomness’ performance
“Tip your hat to (Gomness),” Stuedeman sad. “She pitched a great game and kept us off-balance all night.”
Central Arkansas (20-10) plated a run in the top of the first on a sac fly to left field by Sarah Bigej that scored Sam Forrest, who collected two hits. That would be the only run allowed by MSU starter Cori Cooper (3-1). The freshman pitcher tossed three innings, allowing four hits and walking one batter before giving way to sophomore Holly Ward, with one on and not outs in the fourth.
Upon entering, Ward shut down UCA, pitching four shutout innings to finish out the contest, allowing just two hits to the Sugar Bears.
“I just had to go out there, get some outs and let the defense work,” Ward said.
Also collecting a pair of hits for UCA was catcher Jessie Taylor, who finished 2-for-3 on the evening.
After being held in check offensively by Auburn pitching last weekend, MSU returns to action this weekend in a three-game series at Tennessee (22-8, 3-3 SEC), who is coming off a series in which the Volunteers were swept by top-ranked Florida. UT run-ruled Jacksonville 10-0 in its lone midweek matchup.
Against Jacksonville on Tuesday night, UT starter Erin Gabriel tossed her second-career perfect game, striking out seven batters to help the Vols improve to 10-0 in Knoxville. Stuedeman said that she knows that UT will be a challenge, but that her team has faced the quality of competition that Tennessee brings.
“We have to get ready to go with the quick turnaround,” Stuedeman said. “They were at the Women’s College World Series last year and have a lot returning from that team. I expect it to be a great battle. They run the bases well, they have power and a lot of pitching and they play great defense just like the rest of the team (in the SEC).”
Like her coach, Ward is expecting a tough battle from the Volunteers as well.
“We just have to focus on us,” Ward said. “We just have to focus on our routines and keep playing our game.”
MSU will take on the Volunteers at 5 p.m. CT on Friday evening followed by 1 p.m. game times on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. All three contests will be carried on SEC Network+.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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