Bulldogs lose tough game at home to Razorbacks
A series win was in Mississippi State’s grasp in softball action Sunday night.
In front of a national televised audience on SEC Network, Holly Ward settled into a groove in the circle and the bats were clutch as State rallied from an early deficit. Late in the game, though, Arkansas was the one that came through.
A top of the seventh grounder brought home the lead run for the Razorbacks as they avoided losing the series and forced MSU to a decisive third game tonight in Southeastern Conference play with a 5-4 win.
“We have to win that game,” Bulldog head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “We have to have a better start in the circle.”
MSU (33-15, 7-10 SEC) was in a hole early on as Ward gave up a one-out single and walked a batter to put two runners on base in the first. The Razorbacks then took a big advantage immediately with one swing of the bat from A.J. Belans as she homered to left center field for the 3-0 lead.
That was the last of Ward’s struggles for the day as she did her job the rest of the way. The junior finished with six strong innings giving up four hits, those three runs and two walks while striking out six batters.
Over the final five innings she pitched, Ward gave up two hits and no earned runs.
“Incredible job that she was able to do beyond (the first inning),” Stuedeman said. “She’s a great pitcher and without the shaky start, it’s a different situation. We’ve got to get her ready to go sooner.”
As Ward settled in, it was the Bulldogs’ turn to go to work.
Last week’s SEC Player of the Week Caroline Seitz saw two runners on base herself and went after a 3-2 pitch sending it to the opposite field in the gap to score two runs. Calyn Adams followed that up with an RBI single scoring Seitz and the two teams were tied at 3 after one inning.
MSU jumped out front rather quickly when it led off the next frame with a solo home run by Sarai Niu giving State the 4-3 lead.
“It was very much needed and long overdue,” Niu said of her homer. “It felt good. I’ve been missing a lot of pitches this season and haven’t hit one out yet. I just needed to focus.”
After Ward cruised through four-straight innings without any trouble, her defense both let her down and build her up in the sixth.
Back-to-back one-out errors on the infield had runners at the corners for the Razorbacks and something brewing. A deep shot to center field followed off the bat of Madison Yannetti, but Amanda Ivy made a fantastic catch as she ran into the wall to save extra bases and limit it to just a run on the sacrifice fly.
Fortunately for Ivy and the Bulldogs, the runner at first left the bag early and ended the top of the sixth at a 4-4 tie.
MSU had a big opportunity fall through
in the bottom of the sixth when it left the bases loaded and Arkansas promptly make the Bulldogs pay for it.
The Razorbacks loaded
the bases themselves with just one out in the top of the seventh on three singles. A groundout brought home a run for Arkansas and it took a 5-4 lead making MSU hurt for leaving its own runners on base the prior inning.
The Bulldogs produced nine hits in the game to Arkansas’ seven, but the big hits didn’t come after Niu’s home run. The sophomore first baseman was 2-for-3 at the plate with her firstcareer home run. Lead off
hitter Bevia Robinson also had a two-hit performance and Seitz led the team with two RBI. Stuedeman needed more out of her group at the plate.
There’s still a shot at the team’s third-straight SEC series
win later tonight when the Bulldogs host Arkansas for game three of the series. Game time is at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network and Stuedeman has a feeling her team will be prepared for the battle.
“I expect them to be Bulldogs
and come back ready to fight,” Stuedeman said. “I’m excited for the opportunity. They came here to get a degree and play softball so that’s what they’re going to do. We can let the grind dull us or let the grind sharpen us.”