Bulldogs Bounce Back In Walk-Off Win Over Wildcats

Saturday, March 4

Starkville

12:30 PM

Mississippi State

14-5

Murray State

12-6

Murray State

Mississippi State

Bulldogs Bounce Back In Walk-Off Win Over Wildcats

March 04, 2023 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Murray State Box Score (PDF)Abilene Christian Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – It was an up-and-down day for Mississippi State at The Snowman, but the Bulldogs came back to win in walk-off fashion in their second game of the day to earn a split on Saturday.

State (15-5) dropped its first game of the day to Murray State, 4-1, after making four errors and allowing just one earned run. The Bulldogs then fell behind to Abilene Christian in the first inning before battling back for a 5-4 walk-off win.

MSU tied the game with the Wildcats (4-15) in the bottom of the first on an Aquana Brownlee double, but ACU would retake the lead, 3-1, in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs tied the game on two wild pitches that allowed runners to score before Paige Cook drove in Brylie St. Clair to take a lead.

"Paige, she's a great hitter, and she has been her whole career," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "One, to be able to bounce back, I think, defensively, for her is always huge, but then she really just comes through clutch in big moments. It's never too big for her. I think she does a really good job of staying within herself and knowing how to have team at-bats. It's not swinging for the fence, but being able to drive the ball consistently, no matter which pitcher she's seeing."

An awkward stumble while fielding a bunt in the seventh, led Kenley Hawk, who trying to pick up her second save of the year, to exit the game. As she went down, her throw sailed into the outfield, allowing ACU to tie it. But Cook and the Bulldogs weren't done. St. Clair beat out a bunt single to open the bottom of the seventh, and advanced to second on a fly out to left. She then raced home as Cook delivered a walk-off single up the middle.

Madisyn Kennedy provided all of State's scoring against Murray State (12-6) with a solo homer to lead off the seventh.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on the importance of baserunning against Abilene Christian…
"It's big, and we talk about it a lot. All parts of our game are going to be important. Hitting can be up and down, you can be hot and cold, but defense, pitching and your baserunning and decision-making can always play. That can keep us in games when maybe we're not having the timely hitting that we need to. Macy [Graf] is probably one of our best baserunners as a freshman, and same with Brylie [St. Clair]. Brylie's come a long way through her career with what she does on the bases, and I think off the bat there's no doubt that she was scoring. She just gets such good jumps and reads, and she's a great runner for us."

Paige Cook on driving in the winning run…
"We faced this pitcher yesterday and I was squaring her up pretty good, yesterday as well so I swung a little hard on the one right before it. I was like, 'Just stay in your plan. See the ball, and just hit it," and that's what I did. I just kept it simple, took it up the middle."

Paige Cook on knowing Brylie was going to score on the final play…
"Especially for that situation, having Brylie up for that, she's quick. She's fast, and I had all my faith in her. I was like run, Brylie."

Aspen Wesley on her emergency relief outing…
"Honestly, when I went in, I didn't have time to think about anything. It was mostly like 'Let's go. Let's get through this,' and so it's a lot of trust in me being on the mound and trusting my teammates that have my back. I know that they do, but like I said, I didn't have time to think. I just went out there and threw."

Quick Hitters

Aquana Brownlee – Extended her hitting streak to a career-best eight games against Murray State … also doubled home a run to extend it to nine games against ACU.

Paige Cook – Made her first career start in right field against ACU … went 2-for-4 with two RBIs … drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth against the Wildcats … later delivered the walk-off single in the seventh against ACU.

Kiersten Landers – Delivered a pinch-hit single against Murray State.

Josey Marron – Started against ACU and went 4.0 innings … struck out five and allowed one run on one hit.

Brylie St. Clair – Extended her hitting streak to five games against the Racers … drew a walk and stole a base on her way to scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth … went 2-for-3 with a walk and stolen base … scored the winning run in the seventh.

Aspen Wesley – Did not allow an earned run in 5.0 innings of work against Murray State … allowed just one hit and struck out eight … came in in emergency relief after an injury with the go-ahead run on third and no outs against ACU … struck out two and got out of the jam to earn the win against the Wildcats.

Scoring Recap vs. Murray State

Top 5
Ailey Schyck reached base when the first baseman dropped the throw from across the diamond. Shelby Durbin pinch ran at first. Taylor Jackson laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reached safely on an error by the third baseman. Erin Lackey walked to load the bases. Adison Hicks hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Durbin scores. While the infield try to appeal that Jackson left second early on her way to third, the ball was thrown into right field, allowing Jackson to score on the error.
Murray State 2, Mississippi State 0

Top 6
Lindsey Carroll reached second when the pitcher's throw to first bounced off her helmet. She then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Taylor Jackson singled to left to score Carroll.
Murray State 3, Mississippi State 0

Top 7
With two outs, Lily Fischer hit a solo home run to left-center field.
Murray State 4, Mississippi State 0

Bottom 7
Madiysn Kennedy led off with a solo homer to left field.
Murray State 4, Mississippi State 1

Scoring Recap vs. Abilene Christian

Top 1
Avery Miloch hit a solo homer to left-center.
Abilene Christian 1, Mississippi State 0

Bottom 1
Paige Cook reached first on a fielding error by the pitcher. Aquana Brownlee then doubled to the left-center gap, scoring Cook.
Abilene Christian 1, Mississippi State 1

Top 5
Miranda Lista walked then advanced to second on a bunt single by Olivia Taylor. Shaylee Alani grounded into a fielder's choice that saw Taylor put out at second while Lista advanced to third. Isabel Martinez came in as a pinch runner for Alani and stole second. Lista scored and Alani advanced to third on a wild pitch. Miranda Davila singled up the middle to score Alani.
Abilene Christian 3, Mississippi State 1

Bottom 5
Riley Hull singled to left-center to open the inning. She advanced to third on a Macy Graf single into right field. Graf took second on the throw to third. Hull scored and Graf advanced to third on a wild pitch. Brylie St. Clair walked. While she was stealing second, the ball skipped away, allowing Graf to score on a wild pitch. St. Clair advanced to third on a ground out by Chloe Malau'ulu then scored on a single to left field by Cook.
Abilene Christian 3, Mississippi State 4

Top 7
Catrin Hoffman pinch hit and drew a walk. Taylor re-entered for Hoffman. Alani laid down a bunt. As the pitcher fielded the bunt, she lost her footing, and her throw sailed as she went down with an injury. As the ball rolled up the first base line, Taylor came around to score and Alani reached third.
Abilene Christian 4, Mississippi State 4

Bottom 7
St. Clair led off with a bunt single. Malau'ulu flied out to left field, and St. Clair tagged and advanced to second. Cook singled up the middle, and St. Clair came around to score for the walk-off win.
Abilene Christian 4, Mississippi State 5

On Deck

Mississippi State will face Murray State again at 1:30 p.m. CT on Sunday with the game broadcast on SEC Network+.

Follow the Bulldogs

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."