Mississippi State Softball wins Game 1 of Doubleheader 11-4

In its third game of the young season, Mississippi State (3-0) continues to be undefeated after beating Tennessee Tech (2-2) despite committing 4 errors. The Bulldogs started freshman pitcher Regan Green, who threw 85 pitches in 4 complete innings of work, surrendering 4 runs, though none of them were earned. Green struck out 9 batters in the first start of her career. Tennessee Tech turned to Danielle Liberatore to try and get the win against the Bulldogs. Liberatore pitched 5.1 innings with 130 pitches.

MSU started the game well, with Green performing admirably and the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a 2 run RBI double from Katie Anne Bailey, bringing both Calyn Adams and Amanda Ivy home. MSU continued to play well until the 4th, where a handful of errors overshadowed Green's stellar start and the visitors brought a couple of runs of their own in to tie things up.

Holly Ward would then enter the picture for the Bulldogs as she came in to relieve Green. Despite this, trouble continued into the top of the 5th inning where MSU allowed a handful of errors to bring in 2 more runs for Tennessee Tech. Facing a 4-2 deficit, the first the Bulldogs have faced this season, the Bulldogs woke up offensively and never looked back. With two outs, Wikfield would hit a double, Seitz and then Toler would both be walked, and Morgan Bell would hit a grand slam allowing MSU to retake the lead by a margin of 6-4.

Holly Ward would then get two strikeouts in the top of the sixth en route to a 1-2-3 inning. And then MSU would continue to pile on the runs in the bottom of the 6th. Olivia Golden, pinch hitting for Loryn Nichols would take a walk to first, and then be replaced again by Nichols who would pinch run. Amanda Ivy would bunt successfully, allowing Nichols to scoot to 3rd, where TTU would attempt an errant throw, allowing Ivy to move to 2nd, putting both baserunners in scoring position for Katie Anne Bailey. Bailey would hit an RBI single bringing the lead to 7-4, then steal 2nd shortly after that.

Kayla Winkfield followed that up with a 2 RBI triple, bringing the Bulldog lead up to 9-4. An errant pitch then allowed her to steal home, moving the lead to 10-4. This prompted TTU to bring Leigh Thomas in as their new pitcher. MSU responded with a Carloine Seitz walk and a Mackenzie Toler RBI double, cementing the final score of 11-4 for the Bulldogs.

Holly Ward would go on to be credited with her second win of the season, Liberatore would be given the loss. Ward threw 47 pitches and struck out 3 in 3.0 innings of work. The MSU Bulldogs (3-0) will face off against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs ( in a handful of minutes.