No. 23 MSU Finishes Bulldog Invitational Undefeated
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State couldn’t have asked for a better showing at the Bulldog Invitational than what it got.
The No. 23 Bulldogs (17-3) finished the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record, including fives via the run-rule, and outscored opponents 65-7.
Mississippi State started the Sunday with a big 15-0 victory over Alcorn State in five innings.
It was the Bulldogs’ fifth win of the tournament and second run-rule victory against Alcorn State in as many days.
Mississippi State got off to a fast start with five runs scored in the first inning. Nadia Barbary got the scoring started with a single down the left field line. Madisyn Kennedy would drive in Barbary on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Jessie Blaine and Kylee Edwards each hit a two-out home run in the inning to put MSU up 5-0.
Alcorn State managed to hold the Bulldogs scoreless in the second inning, but the Lady Braves’ pitching fell apart in the third inning. MSU scored three runs on wild pitches and another run on a bases loaded walk. The eight runs gave the Bulldogs a commanding 13-0 lead.
Delainey Everett made her first career start inside the circle for MSU against Alcorn State. The freshman from Oakdale, Calif. pitched all five innings, and allowed just two hits and two walks while recording four strikeouts.
MSU’s second game of the day against Samford took a little longer for MSU’s offense to get going, but when it did, it did so in a big way.
With the scored tied at 1-1 in the third inning, Kennedy and Salen Hawkins hit a pair of home runs to help the Bulldogs score five runs.
They would add another five runs in the fourth inning on a Sierra Sacco triple and Ella Wosolowski double to account for the 11-1 final score.
Josey Marron earned her third win of the tournament and improved to 7-0 this season. Marron pitched four innings against Samford, allowing just two hits and an unearned run while striking out four batters. Lexi Sosa pitched a three-up, three-down final inning to secure the win in five innings.
The Bulldogs will look to ride the momentum they’ve built this season and through the Bulldog Classic into SEC play this week. The SEC is loaded with some of the best teams this season with 12 of the 13 teams ranked in the latest ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll. The lone, unranked team is Ole Miss (14-5), who the Bulldogs will face this week to open conference play.
The three-game series in Oxford begins at 6 p.m. Friday and continues at 3 p.m. Saturday. Both games will be televised on SEC Network+. Sunday’s series finale at 3 p.m. will be televised on SEC Network.
