Bulldogs Battle Back For Monday Night Victory

Monday, April 29

Columbia, Mo.

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

31-16, 10-11

#14 Missouri

37-14, 10-11

Mississippi State

Missouri

Bulldogs Battle Back For Monday Night Victory

April 29, 2024 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Down to its final out, No. 18/18 Mississippi State rallied to score three runs for a 3-2 victory at No. 14/14 Missouri on Monday night. It was the Bulldogs' 10th comeback victory of the year and their fifth time taking the lead in their final at-bat.

Kylee Edwards had a key double to start the rally and scored on Matalasi Faapito's two-out RBI single. Sierra Sacco then walked, and Nadia Barbary doubled two runs home to give State its final lead.

"It felt good to break through, and you could just feel the tension kind of release," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think they did a great job of really staying together through the struggles of the last couple of weeks. I thought the pitchers were great all weekend at having our backs, and it was nice to be able to mount that comeback for them. It really was a team effort. Kylee sparking it. Mata with a big hit off the bench with two strikes. Sierra's walk to keep us going, and then Nadia coming up clutch. I'm just really proud of the fight, the grit and the willingness to stay positive and stay together through the ups and the downs."

Aspen Wesley then return to the circle for the bottom of the seventh and struck out the side in order to complete her 10th complete game of the season and earn her seventh win in conference play. She did not walk a batter. The Philadelphia, Mississippi, native stranded four runners in the game, and at one point, retired six in order.

Salen Hawkins collected two hits in the game for her 10th multi-hit game. Sacco continued her recent run of success, adding another base hit to record one in each game of the series.

Quotables

Samantha Ricketts on her message to Aspen Wesley entering the seventh inning…
"Not really. We just trusted Aspen. It was the bottom of the lineup. We had Delainey [Everett] ready to go if we got back to the top with the lefties. It was Aspen's game. She had been on all game long, just attacking and mixing pitches. I'm really proud of her for her fight and to go right after them in the seventh as well."

Matalasi Faapito on her mentality coming off the bench in that spot…
"The mentality is to hit the ball. Period. Obviously, we had our ups and downs this weekend, but I knew I was going to have the opportunity, and that was my mentality. I was just trusting in God's plan. I knew I was going to hit the ball, so that's what I did."

Aspen Wesley on going back out for the seventh inning…
"I knew it. When Mata hit that ball, I said we are winning this game no matter what I have to do or anybody else has to do. We are locked in right now. It was just so good to see Mata coming up. When her name was called, she was ready. Of course, you had Nadia with the hit and Sacco with the big walk. The little things mean everything to us. It meant a lot to me to come back into the circle. After the home run, I said, 'If we get up, I'm doing everything possible for them not to score.' In the seventh, I went back and told myself that again – 'Just pitch it where my defense can get it.' I mean it worked out really well otherwise with the strikeouts, but I felt like I went into a whole other dimension. I don't think I've ever been like that and so locked in. It was me and Ella [Wesolowski] that whole inning. Everything was a blur except her and her glove. I couldn't even hear everybody screaming. It was me and her the entire time."

Quick Hitters

Two Outs, So What? – State scored all three runs while down to its final out in the game … the Bulldogs now have 118 two-out RBIs this year, which is second-most in school history … that is 42.1 percent of their total RBIs for the year.

Nadia Barbary – Drove in the game-winning runs with her 17th double of the year, which is a new MSU sophomore record and tied for fifth in program history overall … leads the SEC with 11 doubles in conference play, which is a new MSU single-season record in SEC games … ranks third on the team with five game-winning RBIs this year and has seven for her career … now has 16 two-out RBIs this year, which is second on the team, and needs four to become the eighth Bulldog on record with 20 two-out RBIs in a season … has reached base in four straight games.

Paige Cook – Made a diving catch in right field and added a running catch up against the outfield wall.

Kylee Edwards – Led the team with a .500 average in the series … had a hit in every game … doubled and scored.

Matalasi Faapito – Delivered an RBI single with two outs and two strikes in the seventh … now has five career hits as a pinch hitter with two RBIs.

Salen Hawkins – Collected two singles for her 10th multi-hit game of the year, which leads the Bulldog freshmen and ranks third on the team.

Sierra Sacco – Drew a walk a scored the game-winning run … now leads the team with eight game-winning runs scored … batted .400 with a pair of doubles in the series.

Aspen Wesley – Struck out the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to protect a one-run lead … tossed her 10th complete game of the year and her 17th in her career … now boasts a career-best 12 wins this year, including seven in SEC play … now tied for fifth in MSU history with nine career victories in SEC play … now tied for third in school history with eight career complete games in conference play … has now thrown five complete games when allowing two or fewer runs this year and had just six such games in her career prior to this year … did not walk a batter.

Scoring Recap

Bottom 1
Jenna Laird led off with a double into right center, and she stole third. With one out, Maddie Gallagher hit a sacrifice fly to center to score her.
No. 18 Mississippi State 0, No. 14 Missouri 1

Bottom 6
Alex Honnold hit a leadoff homer to center.
No. 18 Mississippi State 0, No. 14 Missouri 2

Top 7
With one out, Kylee Edwards doubled down the right field line. She scored when, with two outs, Matalasi Faapito delivered a pinch-hit RBI single into left-center. Jadyn Burney pinch ran for Faapito at first. Following a pitching change, Sierra Sacco walked, and Nadia Barbary doubled past the center fielder to score both runners.
No. 18 Mississippi State 3, No. 14 Missouri 2

Next Up

The Bulldogs return home for the final weekend of the regular season. State hosts No. 11/9 Georgia on May 3-5 with the season finale airing on SEC Network at 11 a.m. CT.

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