Sunday, March 5
Starkville
1:30 PM
Mississippi State
16-5
5
vs
3
Murray State
12-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Murray State
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
3
10
2
Mississippi State
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
2
5
6
1
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Malau’ulu Launches Walk-Off Home Run To Close Snowman
March 05, 2023 | Softball
STARKVILLE – It took eight innings, but Mississippi State capped The Snowman with a 5-3 win in walk-off fashion on Sunday afternoon. Chloe Malau'ulu's two-run homer to left-center field broke the tie and sent the Bulldogs home happy.
MSU (16-5) rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to take the lead. Murray State (12-7) responded with a run on a pair of doubles in the top of the seventh to tie the game, 3-3. Brylie St. Clair drew a one-out walk in the eighth before Malau'ulu battled to a full count and sent the final pitch over the wall.
"We talk about a lot learning from every weekend, and in reality learning how to win these close games, back-and-forth games where maybe you have some momentum and it's taken like it was in the seventh," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We talked about that a couple of weeks ago in Clearwater, and we are going to learn how to win these one-run games. It was really good to see, even in the close innings last night and today, being able to come up big and not letting the moment get too big for us and just having quality team at bats."
Josey Marron earned the win in relief and improved to 7-0 on the year. She struck out four batters in 3.0 innings of work.
In the fifth, State first scored on a pinch-hit, RBI double from Nadia Barbary. The throw back from the outfield on that play was wild and allowed a second run to come home while Barbary took third. Jackie McKenna then hit a sacrifice fly to take the lead.
Kiersten Landers had a double in the Bulldogs' three-run fifth. Macy Graf also picked up a hit on a bunt single in the inning.
"Yeah, the approach was definitely, even when things aren't going our way – I don't think we had a hit or a baserunner on the board at that point – how can we continue to be ourselves and play our game which is lo0se, which is having fun and cheering. Excitement and momentum in the dugout even when things are bad and that was the message for them. Let's find a way to be us even when no one expects us too. I think a team that is never down is really scary. When you've got your backs against the wall and you are still having a good time in the dugout, it can be a little bit jarring for the other team. They found a way to make that happen, and we are a big team with energy and momentum. I think that got us going there in that fifth inning."
Jackie McKenna on driving in the go-ahead run…
"Yeah, she was throwing all up, so we kind of changed our game plan a little bit. I knew there was one out, so I just had to get something in the air and kind of deep for them to tag and score. I just made that happen."
Chloe Malau'ulu on what she saw in her last at-bat…
"I knew that the new pitcher coming in had more drop spin than the last girl, so that's my pitcher. I was ready to hit. I was green light all the way."
Chloe Malau'ulu on what was going through her head before the walk-off
"Yeah, I kept fouling off some because I knew I wanted to stay and hit, so when I saw that one that was left, I was just swinging. I was green light all the way."
Aquana Brownlee – Extended her hitting streak to a career-best 10 games … scored MSU's first run.
Macy Graf – Beat out a bunt single … State is now 11-for-13 as a team when bunting for a hit.
Madisyn Kennedy – Turned a double play in her second straight game.
Kiersten Landers – Doubled and scored the tying run in the fifth … beat out her 10th infield single of the year in the seventh.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Hit a walk-off, two-run homer … it was her team-leading 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
Josey Marron – Improved to 7-0 on the year … threw the final 3.0 innings, striking out four.
Jackie McKenna – Drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Gracie Osbron led off with a double down the left field line. Lily Fischer singled into right, scoring Osbron. Fischer advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Lindsey Carroll grounded out to second, pushing Fischer to third. Ailey Schyck singled up the middle, scoring Fischer.
Murray State 2, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 5
Aquana Brownlee led off with a single to left field. Kiersten Landers then doubled to center, advancing Brownlee to third. Nadia Barbary doubled into right field, scoring Brownlee. The throw back to the infield was wild, allowing Landers to score and Barbary to advance to third. She then scored on Jackie McKenna's sacrifice fly to left field.
Murray State 2, Mississippi State 3
Top 7
Erin Lackey doubled to left field. Osbron doubled down the left field line, scoring Lackey.
Murray State 3, Mississippi State 3
Bottom 8
Briley St. Clair walked with one out. Chloe Malau'ulu hit a walk-off home run to left-center field.
Murray State 3, Mississippi State 5
MSU (16-5) rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to take the lead. Murray State (12-7) responded with a run on a pair of doubles in the top of the seventh to tie the game, 3-3. Brylie St. Clair drew a one-out walk in the eighth before Malau'ulu battled to a full count and sent the final pitch over the wall.
"We talk about a lot learning from every weekend, and in reality learning how to win these close games, back-and-forth games where maybe you have some momentum and it's taken like it was in the seventh," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We talked about that a couple of weeks ago in Clearwater, and we are going to learn how to win these one-run games. It was really good to see, even in the close innings last night and today, being able to come up big and not letting the moment get too big for us and just having quality team at bats."
Josey Marron earned the win in relief and improved to 7-0 on the year. She struck out four batters in 3.0 innings of work.
In the fifth, State first scored on a pinch-hit, RBI double from Nadia Barbary. The throw back from the outfield on that play was wild and allowed a second run to come home while Barbary took third. Jackie McKenna then hit a sacrifice fly to take the lead.
Kiersten Landers had a double in the Bulldogs' three-run fifth. Macy Graf also picked up a hit on a bunt single in the inning.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on snatching the momentum back…"Yeah, the approach was definitely, even when things aren't going our way – I don't think we had a hit or a baserunner on the board at that point – how can we continue to be ourselves and play our game which is lo0se, which is having fun and cheering. Excitement and momentum in the dugout even when things are bad and that was the message for them. Let's find a way to be us even when no one expects us too. I think a team that is never down is really scary. When you've got your backs against the wall and you are still having a good time in the dugout, it can be a little bit jarring for the other team. They found a way to make that happen, and we are a big team with energy and momentum. I think that got us going there in that fifth inning."
Jackie McKenna on driving in the go-ahead run…
"Yeah, she was throwing all up, so we kind of changed our game plan a little bit. I knew there was one out, so I just had to get something in the air and kind of deep for them to tag and score. I just made that happen."
Chloe Malau'ulu on what she saw in her last at-bat…
"I knew that the new pitcher coming in had more drop spin than the last girl, so that's my pitcher. I was ready to hit. I was green light all the way."
Chloe Malau'ulu on what was going through her head before the walk-off
"Yeah, I kept fouling off some because I knew I wanted to stay and hit, so when I saw that one that was left, I was just swinging. I was green light all the way."
Quick Hitters
Nadia Barbary – Doubled home a run after coming on as a defensive replacement … scored the go-ahead run in the fifth.Aquana Brownlee – Extended her hitting streak to a career-best 10 games … scored MSU's first run.
Macy Graf – Beat out a bunt single … State is now 11-for-13 as a team when bunting for a hit.
Madisyn Kennedy – Turned a double play in her second straight game.
Kiersten Landers – Doubled and scored the tying run in the fifth … beat out her 10th infield single of the year in the seventh.
Chloe Malau'ulu – Hit a walk-off, two-run homer … it was her team-leading 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
Josey Marron – Improved to 7-0 on the year … threw the final 3.0 innings, striking out four.
Jackie McKenna – Drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Scoring Recap
Top 4Gracie Osbron led off with a double down the left field line. Lily Fischer singled into right, scoring Osbron. Fischer advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Lindsey Carroll grounded out to second, pushing Fischer to third. Ailey Schyck singled up the middle, scoring Fischer.
Murray State 2, Mississippi State 0
Bottom 5
Aquana Brownlee led off with a single to left field. Kiersten Landers then doubled to center, advancing Brownlee to third. Nadia Barbary doubled into right field, scoring Brownlee. The throw back to the infield was wild, allowing Landers to score and Barbary to advance to third. She then scored on Jackie McKenna's sacrifice fly to left field.
Murray State 2, Mississippi State 3
Top 7
Erin Lackey doubled to left field. Osbron doubled down the left field line, scoring Lackey.
Murray State 3, Mississippi State 3
Bottom 8
Briley St. Clair walked with one out. Chloe Malau'ulu hit a walk-off home run to left-center field.
Murray State 3, Mississippi State 5
On Deck
Mississippi State remains home next weekend to host the Bulldog Invitational. State will welcome Southeastern Louisiana, No. 1 Oklahoma, Omaha and East Tennessee State to Starkville over four days on March 9-12.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Marron, Josey (7-0)
L: Haislip, Bre (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Lackey, Erin 1 ; Osbron, Gracie 2
RBI: Osbron, Gracie 1 ; Fischer, Lily 1 ; Schyck, Ailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lackey, Erin 1 ; Osbron, Gracie 1 ; Fischer, Lily 1
Batting:
2B: Landers, Kiersten 1 ; Barbary, Nadia 1
HR: Malau'ulu, Chloe 1
RBI: Malau'ulu, Chloe 2 ; Barbary, Nadia 1 ; McKenna, Jackie 1
SH: Kennedy, Madisyn 1
SF: McKenna, Jackie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: St. Clair, Brylie 1 ; Malau'ulu, Chloe 1 ; Brownlee, Aquana 1 ; Landers, Kiersten 1 ; Barbary, Nadia 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
1b/dp
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Texas Tech
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Raelin Chaffin ESPN2 Postgame Interview
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Friday, May 16