Bulldogs split pair
It can be quite deflating to play the No. 1 team in the country in less than a 24-hour period and not have much success during that time span.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs didn't let consecutive losses of 7-0 and 9-3 to Oklahoma cause a lingering problem when it came time to close out the Bulldog Invitational against Omaha on Saturday night.
Chloe Malau'ulu doubled to drive in Brylie St. Clair with the winning run as MSU got a split of the action on Saturday with a 4-3 victory against Omaha at Nusz Park.
“It's good to get the win,” State head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “I like the way (the players) responded. We knew coming off an intense first game of the day that we were going to have to find a way to refocus and refocus quickly.”
After Omaha scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, MSU answered with a pair of its own in the bottom half of the frame. Macy Graf came home on a throw as St. Clair was attempting to steal second, then Paige Cook hit her second home run of the day.
The Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning when Graf drove in Riley Hull on a fielder's choice.
Omaha tied the game once again at 3-3 with a run in the fifth, then MSU got the walk off in the seventh on the pair of doubles by St. Clair and Malau'ulu.
St. Clair had a double and single to lead the Bulldogs offensively, while Hull and Aquana Brownlee added a pair of singles each.
Josey Marron was the starting pitcher for MSU and went the first five innings. Reis Beuerlein (2-0) worked two shutout frames in relief to get the win.
“I thought Reis came in and did a great job holding it down until we were able to find a way to scratch across a run at the end,” Ricketts said.
The Bulldogs dug themselves a hole they could not get out of against the mighty Sooners.
A nine-run top of the second inning by Oklahoma was just too much for MSU to overcome.
In the third inning, the Bulldogs got two of the runs back on on RBI singles by Malau'ulu and Kiersten Landers.
Cook had a solo home run for MSU in the seventh for the final tally.
With her home run and a single, Cook led the seven-hit attack for the Bulldogs. Hull had a double and a single, while Malau'ulu added two singles.
MSU used four pitchers against Oklahoma with Kenley Hawk, Grace Fagan and Matalasi Faapito following starter Aspen Wesley to the circle. Faapito was the most effective by only allowing one hit to the Sooners over three innings and getting four strikeouts.
The crowd of 1,284 for the first game was the 13th largest in Nusz Park history.
The Bulldogs (18-7) are back at home Tuesday against Purdue.