The Mississippi State softball opened its Snowman (Alex Wilcox Memorial) tournament opener with a bang and didn’t look back.
The Bulldogs (14-3) put up seven runs in the first inning and kept adding on to run-rule UAB (9-8) by a score of 16-6 on Friday at Nusz Park in Starkville.
Mississippi State batted around and then some in the first, sending 14 hitters to the plate in the inning. Junior catcher Mia Davidson, junior designated player Carter Spexarth, sophomore right fielder Chloe Malau’ulu and senior second baseman Lindsey Williams all had RBI singles, and senior left fielder Candace Denis plated two runs on her second double of the inning.
“I really liked the way we came out swinging the bat,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said in a news release from Mississippi State. “We’ve been challenging the team all week about starting the game with a lot of energy and a lot of focus. I think they definitely showed that today from the first pitch on.”
The Bulldogs added four more runs in the second and in the third and another in the fourth.
After Malau’ulu hit another RBI single in the second, Williams followed with a three-run homer. Williams finished with four RBIs, while Malau’ulu was 3 for 3 with three runs batted in. Freshman shortstop Madisyn Kennedy also went 3 for 3.
In the third, senior first baseman Fa Leilua hit a two-run homer, Spexarth hit a solo shot, and Malau’ulu tripled in a run.
Freshman Kiki Edwards lined a pinch-hit RBI single in the fourth inning, and freshman Brylie St. Clair and sophomore Jackie McKenna also got into the game as pinch-hitters.
“It’s nice when you get to see the whole lineup coming through and people in and out of the game coming off the bench,” Ricketts added. “I’m really happy with their production. I thought the focus from our early hitting groups today all the way through our designated player was spot on, and it showed on the field.”
Grace Fagan was tagged with six runs in 2 1/3 innings, but Troy transfer Emily Willis finished out the game with a scoreless 2 2/3.
Mississippi State faces UAB at 3 p.m. Saturday and then plays Alcorn State at 5:30 p.m. Saturday as the Bulldogs continue competition the tournament.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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