BULLDOG BITS
Softball
No. 22 Mississippi State (33-13, 6-10 SEC) slugged two homers off No.5 Florida (39-7, 13-3) ace Kelly Barnhill, but the Gators took game one of the weekend series 8-3 Friday night at Nusz Park.
Junior Kat Moore and Freshman Mia Davidson recorded the lone Bulldog hits in the contest, both home runs.
Making her first start in conference play, sophomore Candace Denis tossed the complete game, allowing eight runs off 10 hits and four walks. Denis struck out a career-high six Gators in the contest.
The Gators struck early with two home runs in the top first to take a 3-0 lead. Moore sliced the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run in the top of the second, but Florida answered in the top of the third, taking advantage of a Mississippi State error to plate two unearned runs.
Florida added to its lead with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth before taking an 8-1 advantage in the sixth with an RBI triple and a second sacrifice fly of the game.
The Bulldogs rallied in the bottom of the sixth as junior Emily Heimberger got on base with a hit by pitch before Davidson slugged her 16th home run of the season to slice the lead to 8-3.
Freshman pinch hitter Carter Spexarth drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh, but the Bulldogs could not rally.
Women’s Golf
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Saving the best round for last, the Mississippi State women’s golf team concluded play at the Southeastern Conference Championship with a final day tally of 14-over 302 and a 10th-place finish.
Coach Ginger Brown-Lemm’s young Bulldog squad wrapped the three-day stroke play portion at the 6,253 yard Greystone Golf Club with a 51-over 915, just missing the weekend match play by two spots.
“This team showed true grit this week,” Brown-Lemm said. “While we are disappointed that we didn’t make the match play portion of the championship, these girls competed until the last putt dropped. Each of these girls will be returning next year, and this experience will help them be prepared to make match play next year.”
In her first SEC Championship, freshman Blair Stockett started the day slow, making the turn at 4-over par. She rallied on her final nine and shot a 1-under par after a birdie on No. 2. She parred the final seven holes, closing the round with a 3-over 75 and tied for 27th.
Junior Katie Holt joined Stockett in 27th after firing a 79 on Friday.
Stockett’s classmate, Aubree Jones, was close behind with her best round of the week, a 74. Jones wrapped up her banner freshman season in a tie for 59th.
Ela Grimwood, carded a 4-over 76, while Athena Yang sat one stroke back with a 77.
MSU wraps up the 2017-18 with six top 10 finishes, including tied for fourth at the Magnolia Invitational and a fifth-place finish at the Dale McNamara Invite.