MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Down a run in the top of the seventh, sophomore Mia Davidson delivered a two-out grand slam to lift the Bulldogs to a 10-7 victory over Memphis at the Tiger Softball Complex.
Davidson’s grand slam was one of two for the Bulldogs Wednesday night as State rallied for a comeback victory over the Tigers. Junior Fa Leilua also slugged her first grand slam of her Bulldog career in the contest. Both grand slams happened with two outs on the scoreboard.
Sophomore Emily Williams picked up the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. Williams tossed six innings and allowed seven runs off four hits and five walks. Only three of Memphis’ runs were earned. The right-hander also struck out nine in the contest.
Junior Alyssa Loza recorded her first save in a Bulldog uniform as she struck out two and forced a pop up to second to retire the side in order.
Sophomore Grace Dabbs led off the midweek contest with a single to shortstop before moving into scoring position off a single up the middle by Davidson. Senior Kat Moore drew a one-out walk to load the bases for fellow senior Sarai Niu.
Niu singled to deep short with the ball to bring home Dabbs. The ball took a funky hop into shallow center, but the relay throw to the plate was in time to prevent Mia Davidson from scoring. Sophomore Carter Spexarth, however, picked up a two-out RBI with a single to right field to push the Bulldog lead to 2-0.
The Tigers would take advantage of a MSU throwing error and a couple walks in the second to help plate five runs. With the game locked at 2-2 after a Delaney Smith two-run triple, Baylee Smith gave Memphis the lead with a three-run home run.
State would answer in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two walks and a dropped third strike to bring Leilua to the plate with two outs. Leilua delivered with her 10th home run of the 2019 season with a shot off the scoreboard. Her first grand slam in a Bulldog uniform lifted MSU back in front 6-5.
MSU’s 6-5 lead would hold until the bottom of the fifth when Memphis knotted the game back up at 6-6 with a solo home run from Smith.
After getting two on via walks, Memphis regained a lead in the bottom of the sixth as a one-out single to right field plated a run.
The Bulldogs made things interesting with back-to-back pinch hits singles by junior Candace Denis and senior Taylor Kelly moved the tying run to third base. Dabbs loaded the bases with a walk to bring Mia Davidson to the plate. On cue, Davidson slugged her 10th home run of the season, her second grand slam, with a bases-clearing shot to left field to put State back on top 10-7.
The slugging duo of Mia Davidson and Fa Leilua once again put on a show at the plate. Both Bulldogs slugged a grand slam in the contest, marking the first time MSU has had two grand slams in the same game since April 26, 2014 when Heidi Shape and Sam Lenahan both knocked grand slams against Arkansas.
Both Bulldogs have 10 home runs this season as the duo are now in a tie for ninth on MSU’s single-season home run list with only 16 games under their belt.
Mississippi State continues its road swing this weekend at the Duke Invitational in Durham, North Carolina. The Bulldogs open the tournament on Friday, March 1 with a doubleheader slate against Ohio (12 p.m. CT) and the host Blue Devils (6 p.m. CT).
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