Mississippi State
20-12, 1-5
#17 Tennessee
25-8, 6-3
No. 25 Softball Drops Series Finale At No. 17 UT
March 27, 2016 | Softball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In their Southeastern Conference series finale, the No. 25 Mississippi State softball team (20-12, 1-5 SEC) fell 9-4 to No. 17 Tennessee (25-8, 6-3 SEC) Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Junior Caroline Seitz served as the offensive spark for State on the day by going 2-for-3 with one run scored and four runs batted in on a pair of extra-base hits.
“This weekend just shows how tough this league is,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “I am excited to work on some things in practice this week and be home for five games as we continue to grow together.”
A bases-loaded single in the bottom of the first scored two, helping UT score first for the second day in a row.
The Volunteers added to their advantage in the third as a leadoff triple set the table for a base hit to bring the runner across. A pair of walks the bases with one out and two batters later, UT took a 4-0 lead after a base on balls walked in a runner.
In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs would climb bat as sophomore Carmen Carter continued her hot stretch with an infield single to leadoff the frame. Seitz capitalized on the opportunity by driving a ball over the wall in left to cut the deficit in half.
UT went right back on the offensive in their next at bat as a solo line-drive homer to right extended their lead. With the bases loaded, back-to-back walks plated two more Vol runners and put the score at 7-2 through five.
After retiring the Bulldogs in order in the top of the sixth, the Vols went back on the attack in the home half. A pair of wild pitches and a base hit gave UT a pair of insurance runs that pushed their edge to 9-2.
State strung together a pair of singles in the top of the seventh, allowing Seitz to continue her hot day with a two-run double to the wall. The Bulldogs were unable to draw any closer before the final out was recorded as UT took the game 9-4.
Matty Moss (7-2) collected the win as she was the second of four Vol pitchers to take the circle on the afternoon. Moss went 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
Sophomore Holly Ward (9-4) took the loss as she allowed three runs on four hits in 2.0 innings as the State starter. Ward also walked one and struck out one.
State will return home for a five-game homestand that will begin Wednesday, March 30 with a non-conference meeting with UAB that is set to be nationally televised on the SEC Network. First pitch from Nusz Park is set for 6:02 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.”
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matty Moss (7-2)
L: Ward, Holly (9-4)
Batting:
2B: Seitz, Caroline 1
HR: Seitz, Caroline 1
RBI: Seitz, Caroline 4
SH: Seitz, Caroline 1 ; Bailey, Katie Anne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Winkfield, Kayla 1 ; Seitz, Caroline 1 ; Moore, Kat 1 ; Carter, Carmen 1
CS: Winkfield, Kayla 1
Batting:
2B: Shaliyah Geathers 1
3B: Brooke Vines 1
HR: Rainey Gaffin 1
RBI: Brooke Vines 1 ; Meghan Gregg 1 ; Lexi Overstreet 1 ; Scarlet McSwain 2 ; Rainey Gaffin 1 ; Gretchen Aucoin 1 ; Aubrey Leach 1
SH: Brooke Vines 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brooke Vines 1 ; Meghan Gregg 1 ; Lexi Overstreet 2 ; Shaliyah Geathers 1 ; Scarlet McSwain 1 ; Rainey Gaffin 1 ; Gretchen Aucoin 1 ; Aubrey Leach 1
