Bulldogs walk-off Gamecocks with bases loaded Hull single
South Carolina's Gamecocks landed the first punch.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs made sure they delivered the knockout blow.
In a softball game that lasted 10 innings to open Southeastern Conference play, MSU edged South Carolina 6-5.
Riley Hull singled to drive home Brylie St. Clair and Macy Graf as the Bulldogs won in walk-off style once again this season.
“Definitely an exciting game and a fun way to kick of conference play for us,” MSU head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “(South Carolina) came out ready, swinging and we showed that we were a little bit nervous. It was good to see the fight and the grit from the team. They never go away and will never be defeated.”
St. Clair stepped up to the plate for the Bulldogs in the 10th and singled with one out, then Graf walked. Following a ground out by Chloe Malau'ulu, Paige Cook was walked intentionally, which gave Hull her chance with the bases loaded.
Ricketts kept Hull in the lineup after she appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth and ground out to third.
“We have coming off the bench with the plan for them to stay in,” Ricketts said. “We've got a lot of different players with different strengths defensively or some that might be better in hitting up and some down in the zone. We decided to stick with Riley. She had some good at-bats and gives us a good defensive option at first. I love that she came through, especially after they walked Paige Cook in front of her. Proud of her in that moment in not letting it get too big and being able to step up right there.”
After spotting the Gamecocks three runs in the first inning, MSU came back to score three runs of its own in the third. Jackie Mckenna walked and Graf singled, then both came home on a triple by Malau'ulu. Malau'ulu crossed the dish on a groundout by Cook.
South Carolina regained the lead with a run in the sixth, but the Bulldogs responded in the seventh to even it back up. Kiersten Landers had a leadoff single, then pinchhitter Matalasi Faapito walked. A bunt by
Madisyn Kennedy moved the runners up and a sacrifice fly by Jackie Mckenna drove in Landers.
Despite giving up the go-ahead run to the Gamecocks in the seventh inning, MSU pitcher Kenley Hawk shook that off and threw three innings to keep her team in the game.
Hawk only gave up the one run on two hits and four strikeouts. She got the win and improved her record to 3-3.
“I was basically real focused on the team and continuing to put up zeros so (the offense) could get back in there and work,” Hawk said.
The pitching duo of Josey Marron and Reis Beuerlein worked a combined seven innings and recorded eight strikeouts.
The Bulldogs only had six hits in the game with Malau'ulu's triple being the only extra base hit.
Today's second game of the series between MSU (20-8, 1-0) and South Carolina (23-5, 1-3) has been moved to a 12:30 p.m. start and will be televised by SEC Network.