Gritty State Falls At No. 1 Florida in 10-Inning Finale

Sunday, April 24

Gainesville, Fla.

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

24-23, 3-15

#1 Florida

45-3, 15-3

Mississippi State

Florida

Gritty State Falls At No. 1 Florida in 10-Inning Finale

April 24, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 10-inning pitching duel ended in defeat for the Mississippi State softball team (24-23, 3-15 SEC) as No. 1 Florida (45-3, 15-3 SEC) took the series finale in 10 innings Sunday evening.

A multiple-hit game from MSU freshman Sarai Niu and a pitching gem from junior Alexis Silkwood was not enough as the Gators claimed a 3-1 win.

“I was proud yesterday and I'm even prouder today,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “The fight in these Bulldogs is for real!”

Pitching and defense reigned supreme early on as neither side recorded a hit through the game's first four innings, highlighted by a diving catch from senior shortstop Kayla Winkfield in the bottom of the fourth.

Niu snapped the scoreless tie by leading off the fifth with a solo homer to center field that put the Bulldogs on top 1-0.

The first threat of the game from UF came in the home half of the sixth with two runners in scoring position and no outs. A sacrifice fly to left advanced the runners and evened the score at one.

Unable to decide a winner in seven innings, the game headed to extras as both sides had runners reach, but nothing more as pitching and defense led the way.

Winkfield led off the 10th with a walk on a full count, but was called out on a controversial runner left early call that kept MSU off the board.

UF answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th to claim a 3-1 victory.

Delanie Gourley (15-2) picked up the win for the Gators, allowing just two hits in 5.0 innings of relief work in the circle.

Silkwood (4-8) suffered the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits in 8.1 innings pitched. Silkwood also struck out five and walked a pair.

Next up for State is a pair of non-conference midweek games, starting Tuesday, April 26 against South Alabama at Nusz Park. First pitch is set for 6:04 p.m. with the matchup to air on SEC Network+.

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.”