BULLDOG BITS

Softball

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Mississippi State opened the Taxact Clearwater Invitational with two statement wins against Indiana and No. 10/15 Arizona. The day began with a run-rule win over the Hoosiers before State earned its fifth ranked win in its last six tries.

Home runs were the story of the day, as State (5-2) launched six long balls. As of the end of MSU'S games, that total led all teams in the tournament. Aquana Brownlee and Kiersten Landers both hit two, with one of Brownlee's of the grand slam variety. Madisyn Kennedy and Macy Graf also left the yard.

"I'm just really proud of the way we came out and competed against a ranked team," Bulldog head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "It was just like the way we looked at Arizona last year in the super regional. That's a storied program with a lot of history. That's what we're working towards. It's fun to see the girls not be intimidated and not be scared and get after it and compete. That's exactly what they did today."

MSU scored nine runs in the bottom of the fourth against Indiana (3-3), sending 13 batters to the plate. Josey Marron provided all the Bulldogs needed in the circle, throwing State's second complete game of the year and the first of her career.

Against Arizona (5-3), Landers and Kennedy put MSU on the board early, but the Wildcats answered with one run in both the second and third innings to tie it. A throwing error and a sacrifice fly gave the Bulldogs two more runs in the fourth, and MSU never surrendered the lead. Graf added a two-run homer in the seventh to provide some insurance.