Four-Run Sixth Does In No. 25 MSU At No. 17 Tennessee

Friday, March 25

Knoxville, Tenn.

5:00 PM

Mississippi State

20-10, 1-3

#17 Tennessee

23-8, 4-3

Mississippi State

Tennessee

Four-Run Sixth Does In No. 25 MSU At No. 17 Tennessee

March 25, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Late errors proved costly as the No. 25 Mississippi State softball team (20-10, 1-3 SEC) dropped game one of its three-game Southeastern Conference series at No. 17 Tennessee (23-8, 4-3 SEC) Friday.

A fast start from the Bulldogs lifted them to an early two-run lead, but a pair of errors in the sixth allowed the Volunteers to take a late lead and never look back.

“These young ladies are fighting the good fight, working hard and believe in one another,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “It's just a matter of time before we put it all together.”

The Vol defense was clicking for the first two outs of the game, but a UT error proved costly. Junior Katie Anne bailey reached first on the error and classmate Amanda Ivy brought her in with a double to the wall. Designated player Mackenzie Toler kept the inning going with a base hit to left, scoring Ivy and putting MSU on top 2-0 after one.

In the third, UT put together four-straight hits to bring across two runs to tie the game at two and force a Bulldog pitching change that would send freshman Regan Green to the circle in relief of sophomore starter Alexis Silkwood.

Green and UT starter Rainey Gaffin kept opposing hitters in check down the stretch to keep the score knotted up at two runs apiece.

With the score still tied in the home half of the sixth, an MSU fielding error allowed the Vols to take their first lead of the game. A single and a triple followed the error which allowed UT to plate two more. A wild pitch brought across another run and capped the four-run frame that put the Vols on top 6-2 after six.

Gaffin headed back to the circle in the top of the seventh and retired the Bulldogs in order to give the Vols game one, 6-2. Gaffin (4-2) picked up the complete-game win as she allowed two hits and two runs, both of which were unearned.

Green (5-4) suffered the loss after allowing five hits and four runs, one earned, in 4.0 innings pitched.

The two teams will return to the field Saturday as first pitch of game two is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will air on SEC Network+, exclusively through WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app. Voice of State softball Anthony Craven will also have the call on HailStatePLUS to provide fans with an additional way to follow the game.

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.”