Bulldogs Unable To Overcome No. 4 Tide In Finale

Sunday, April 10

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1:30 PM

Mississippi State

21-18, 2-10

#4 Alabama

35-7, 8-4

Mississippi State

Alabama

MSU Starts Fast, Downs No. 3 Auburn To Even Series

Bulldogs Unable To Overcome No. 4 Tide In Finale

April 10, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A first-inning home run was not enough as the Mississippi State softball team (21-18, 2-10 SEC) dropped its series finale 8-1 to No. 4 Alabama (35-7, 8-4 SEC) Sunday at Rhoads Stadium.

The Bulldogs jumped out front early on a first-inning homer from junior Katie Anne Bailey, but were unable to hold onto the lead as a two-out grand slam from the Crimson Tide put the score out of reach. With the win in the Southeastern Conference series finale, UA completed the sweep.

Bailey got a pitch to hit in her first at bat and made the Tide pay as she sent the ball over the wall in left for a solo home run that put MSU ahead 1-0 in the top of the first.

In the third, UA used back-to-back two-out singles to score a pair and take a 2-1 lead.

A pair of hits and a walk put the Tide in a bases loaded situation with two outs. On a 2-2 count, UA added to its lead with a grand slam that pushed the score to 6-1.

The Tide added to its lead in the sixth as a leadoff walk set the table to a triple to score the UA pinch runner. With two outs in the inning, poor communication on a fly ball to shallow left center field led to a double and a run scored that put the score at 8-1.

With one final opportunity in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs were unsuccessful and retired in order, giving the Tide an 8-1 victory.

Starting pitcher Sydney Littlejohn (16-2) got the win for the Tide after lasting 4.2 innings and allowing just one run on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

A total of five Bulldog pitchers saw the circle in the series finale, but junior Mackenzie Toler (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on four hits with one strikeout in 2.1 innings.

Up next for State is a non-conference midweek against LA Tech which will close out its four-game road trip Wednesday, April 3 at 5:30 p.m. CT.

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