STATESBORO, Ga. — Mackenzie Toler’s two-run home run with one out in the ninth inning Sunday lifted the Mississippi State softball team to a 7-5 victory against Georgia Southern at Eagle Field.
MSU swept the two-game series to improve to 34-16, while Georgia Southern slipped to 12-35.
Sophomores Katie Anne Bailey and Toler combined to go 7-for-9 with five extra-base hits.
MSU has won at least 33 games in four consecutive seasons under coach Vann Stuedeman.
“We battled today and were able to come out on top against a good team on the road,” Stuedeman said. “Today was all about toughness, and we proved we brought it to the field today. We’ll use the week off to keep getting better and be ready to close out conference play next weekend.”
With the game tied at 5 in the ninth, Carolina Seitz singled with one out. Toler followed with her fifth home run of the season, a blast to right field. Alexis Silkwood (24-12) retired the side in order in the bottom half of the inning to get the win. She didn’t allow a hit in 1 2/3 innings. She struck out two. Cassady Knudsen started and allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits. She walked three and struck out nine.
Julia Echols hit a leadoff home run for the second game in a row to give MSU a 1-0 lead. Bailey scored on a wild pitch after a third to make it 2-0.
Bailey doubled to right-center field to score Echols in the second. Knudsen faced a bases-loaded situation in the bottom half of the inning, but she allowed only one run and worked out of a jam.
But the Eagles scored three runs in the third to take a 5-3 lead.
MSU tied the game in the fourth thanks to an error with two outs that allowed Loryn Nichols to score from second. Bailey’s second triple tied the game.
MSU will play at 6 p.m. Friday at South Carolina (SEC Network +).
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