No. 25 Softball Falls In Midweek Pitching Duel

Wednesday, March 23

Starkville

6:30 PM

Mississippi State

20-9

Central Arkansas

20-10

Central Arkansas

Mississippi State

No. 25 Softball Falls In Midweek Pitching Duel

March 24, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Pitching and defense reigned supreme in a game that saw No. 25 Mississippi State (20-9) fall 1-0 to Central Arkansas (20-10) in a nationally-televised tilt Wednesday night at Nusz Park.

A sacrifice fly in the top of the first from UCA would be all that was needed to pick up the win as both sides struggled to put runners in scoring position for most of the night.

Junior Amanda Ivy led the Bulldog offense, picking up where she left off on offense after her three-hit performance on Tuesday against Southeastern Louisiana. Ivy had two hits against UCA and reached base for the eighth straight game, a season high.

“Tip your hat, what a great game for them,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “Their pitcher Kayla Gomness did a great job. She threw a great game and kept us off-balance all night. We just had a hard time putting some barrels together.”

The Bears didn't wait long to strike as a single to lead off the game set the table. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly out to left field plated the game's first runner, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead that would hold until the game went final.

Pitching and defense were in control for both teams for the remainder of the game as both sides recorded a double play on infield lineouts. The Bears stranded six runners, while the Bulldogs left two on base.

Gomness (5-2) picked up the win, lasting seven shutout innings, striking out four Bulldogs and allowing only five hits.

Freshman Cori Cooper (3-1) suffered her first loss of the season after allowing four hits and the game's lone run in three innings. Sophomore Holly Ward went the final four innings for State and allowed just two hits and no runs along with having struck out five.

The Bulldogs will return to Southeastern Conference play to take on No. 17 Tennessee for their first road conference series of the 2016 season Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27. The series will open with game one Friday at 5 p.m. CT.

For more information on the MSU softball program, follow “HailStateSB” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also find all-access coverage of the Bulldogs on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”