State loses to Tennessee, seven seniors recognized
Just one day after heating up Nusz Park with the long ball and evening up the series with No. 9 Tennessee, the No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs had a chance for the big-time series win on Sunday afternoon to close the season.
Unfortunately for State and starting pitcher Cassady Knudsen, the Lady Volunteers came out angry.
Knudsen gave up four runs before recording an out and the Bulldogs were in a deep hole that they could not pull themselves out. A late rally fell just short as MSU had the tying run at the plate in the seventh but ultimately fell 6-3.
The loss was not to hamper the work that senior pitcher Holly Ward put in relieving the game. A day after pitching a complete game for the victory in game two, Ward pitched all seven frames again scattering six hits, giving up just one earned run and striking out six to give MSU a chance.
“I don’t know if people really realize she pitched back-to-back days and basically faced the same hitters two days in a row,” State head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “To be able to come back out here and throw to one of the best offensive teams in the league and really stifle them, I was really impressed.”
The trouble for the Bulldogs as Ward shut down the vaunted Tennessee lineup was the lack of production at the plate. The long ball was working on Saturday, but they only managed six hits, though one of those was a home run by freshman Mia Davidson who broke the MSU freshman record for home runs in a season with 18.
It was going to be a challenge from the outset for the Bulldogs, who got themselves into that 4-0 hole. Knudsen walked the first batter and gave up a single to follow before Chelsea Seggern blasted a three-run home run. Tennessee added another run on a double before Ward was brought in to get the final three outs and leave two on the bases.
“I’ve been in that situation many games this year,” Ward said. “It doesn’t really matter what situation I’m coming into. I know that my defense is going to work behind me. When you’re behind and you come in, you don’t have anything to lose and everything to gain.”
MSU threatened to get some offense going to no avail until the third inning. That’s when Davidson smacked her 18th homer just in front of the scoreboard in left field to close the gap to 4-1.
Trailing 6-1 and down to their final out, the Bulldogs went to work. A hit batter, error and a walk loaded the bases for the top of the order in hitter Emily Heimberger. The left fielder slapped a single into left field scoring a run to get the game to three runs and put the tying run at the plate for home-run hitter Davidson.
The freshman hit a ball hard to third base but the ground out ended the game and MSU ended the regular season with a loss.
It did not end the season all together, however.
The Bulldogs (35-20, 7-17) punched a ticket to the Southeastern Conference Tournament this week with Missouri’s loss to Florida. They finished 11th in the league, which books a match up with the No. 6 seeded Texas A&M. The Aggies took two games from MSU earlier this season. That game will take place on Wednesday morning in Columbia, Missouri at 11 a.m.
Despite the loss, Stuedeman honored her seven seniors after the game. It was an emotional finish to their home careers, but the Bulldog coach is proud of their accomplishments.
“This is the most-changed senior class that I’ve ever been a part of from freshman to senior class,” Stuedeman said. “They have matured socially, in their softball skills and in their leadership skills. I credit them with my success here.
“In my tenure, this is the first time that we’ve been consecutively ranked for nine weeks. That’s a testament to all of their hard work. I’m really proud of all of them.”