Mississippi State cruised past another midweek foe on Wednesday, dispatching Alabama State 10-2 in Montgomery behind a five-run second inning and strong pitching from UCLA transfer Lexi Sosa and freshman Delainey Everett.
The No. 20 Bulldogs (22-6, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, but were on the verge of coming away empty-handed after Kylee Edwards flied out to left field and Brylie St. Clair popped up to shortstop. Sierra Sacco’s fly ball to left-center dropped just out of the reach of the Hornets’ diving center fielder for a three-run triple, and Nadia Barbary followed with a two-run home run, her fourth of the season.
Paige Cook added on in the fifth with a two-run blast to left, just her second of the year after leading MSU with 11 last season.
“Definitely good to see (Barbary and Cook) getting comfortable,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “They’re ones at the top of our lineup that we need consistent, and we can always expect quality at-bats from them.”
Sosa started in the circle for the Bulldogs, giving up just one hit over three scoreless innings. Everett took over from there, striking out seven over the final four innings and also allowing just one hit, though she was charged with two earned runs in the sixth.
MSU added three more runs in the seventh with mostly reserve players in the game.
“It was good to get Delainey some strong innings,” Ricketts said. “She seems to get better every outing. She’s competitive. She wants the ball. I thought she attacked very well today early in at-bats, which was good to see. It was good to see her settle in.”
The Bulldogs head to Fayetteville, Ark. to battle No. 18 Arkansas for a three-game series starting Friday. MSU was swept by the Razorbacks in Starkville last season.
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