03/10/02
Softball
[Game 1] PLANT CITY, Fla. - Mississippi State (16-9) scored three runs in the third and fourth innings to rally behind a strong outing from starter Kasey Whitehead to clinch a berth in the championship bracket of the Speedline Invitational with a 6-0 rout of Temple (7-10) Saturday afternoon in Plant City, Fla.

Iyhia McMichael turned in a career-high four RBIs on a 2-for-2 showing at the plate with a pair of doubles and two walks. Kellie Wilkerson also turned in a multi-hit performance for the Bulldogs, scoring a pair of runs on a 2-for-4 tally at the plate. Alexia Gary sparked the Owls on a 2-for-3 offensive showing.

Whitehead, no-hitting Temple through the first four and one-third innings, struck out five and allowed just three hits over a complete game to record her second shutout of the campaign. Bari Lynn Pflueger (2-2) took the loss for Temple, surrendering three earned runs on six hits.

After a slow start, Mississippi State finally got its bats going in the third, sending nine batters to the plate in a three-run frame which was highlighted by a McMichael's two-run double to the gap in left centerfield. The Bulldogs plated three more runs in the sixth, utilizing McMichael's second two-run double of the contest, to run away with the ballgame.

Temple got its first hit of the ballgame with one out in the fifth and never posed a real threat to Whitehead's shutout.

With the victory, the Bulldogs will now move on to single-elimination bracket play at the Speedline and will face Florida International (19-15) in the opening round. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT.

#23 Mississippi State 6, Temple 0
Mississippi State 003 003 0 - 6 8 1
Temple 000 000 0 - 0 3 2
Whitehead and Waterman; Pflueger, Naughton (4) and Gary. W - Whitehead (9-6). L - Pflueger (2-2). Save - None. 2B: MSU - McMichael 2 (6).

[Game 2] PLANT CITY, Fla. - Kate Jaspers' RBI single through the right side plated Jennifer Waterman with the gamewinner as No. 23 Mississippi State (17-9) moved on in single elimination bracket play at the Speedline Invitational with a 3-2, eight-inning victory over Florida International (19-16) Saturday evening in Plant City, Fla.

Jaspers sparked the Bulldogs on a 2-for-3 day at the plate, while also adding a walk. Four other players also recorded hits for the Bulldogs. Nicole Dubovik paced the Golden Panthers with an RBI on a 1-for-2 showing at the plate.

Starter Melissa Massey scattered three hits and struck out two in five innings of work, but got the no decision after a blown save by closer Kellie Wilkerson in the sixth. Wilkerson (3-0) worked the final three innings of the ballgame, striking out three and allowing two hits, to grab the victory for the Bulldogs. Leah Barnes surrendered one hit and one unearned run to take the loss for the Golden Panthers.

Mississippi State got runners aboard in each of the first four innings, but did not plate a run until the fifth, using an RBI single by Blaire Brown to plate Jennifer Jessup from second base. Florida International answered in the bottom of the inning, however, leading off the frame with a walk and a base hit, before plating a run two batters later on an RBI groundout by Crystal Boyer.

The Bulldogs retook the lead in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jessup to deep centerfield, but the Golden Panthers knotted the score again in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Nicole Dubovik.

With the victory, the Bulldogs will now move on to face third-ranked Stanford (24-2) in the second round of single elimination play at the Speedline Invitational. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. at the ISF Complex.

#23 Mississippi State 3, Florida International 2 (8 Innings)
Mississippi State 000 011 01 - 3 6 0
Florida International 000 011 00 - 2 5 2
Massey, Wilkerson (6) and Brown, Waterman (6); Laminack, Barnes (7) and Perry. W - Wilkerson (3-0). L - Barnes (N/A). Save - None. 2B: MSU - L. Nelson (4).

[Game 3] PLANT CITY, Fla. - Third-ranked Stanford (25-2) rallied its bats for two multi-run innings, then climbed on the back of a three-hit gem from staff ace Tori Nyberg to oust 23rd-ranked Mississippi State (17-10) from the Speedline Invitational Saturday evening in Plant Cit, Fla.

Kellie Wilkerson and Krystal Tillman both belted doubles on 1-for-3 hitting performances, with Jennifer Waterman providing the only other hit for the Bulldogs on a two-out single in the seventh. First baseman Sarah Beeson paced the Cardinal on a 3-for-3 tally at the plate.

Starter Melissa Massey (3-4) surrendered a pair of earned runs and struck out one batter to take the loss for the Bulldogs. Kasey Whitehead also pitched, surrendering five runs in three and one-thirds innings of work. Nyberg (15-1) worked a complete game for the Cardinal, striking out eight while allowing just three hits, to grab the victory.

Despite the loss, four players combined to turn a school-record three double plays, including Wilkerson's solo double play in the third that nearly transpired into the first triple play in school history. A bad pickoff throw to second base prevented the trifecta.

Stanford loaded the bases with its first three at-bats in the second, then got a two-run double from the bat of Elizabeth Bendig to take a two-run lead before Whitehead got out of the inning with two straight outs. The Cardinal got consecutive singles from its first two batters in the third, but Whitehead got Maureen LeCocq to line out to Wilkerson, who stepped on the first base bag to record the double play. Wilkerson nearly turned the triple play, but her throw sailed into left centerfield, allowing Beeson to cross the plate with an unearned run.

Stanford loaded the bases again with its first three batters in the fifth, then plated four runs on succesive RBI singles, an RBI double and a sac fly to push its lead to 7-0. The Cardinal led off the sixth with a single and a double, then loaded the bases on a one-out intentional walk issued to Beeson, but MSU centerfielder Iyhia McMichael nixed the Cardinal's sac fly attempt, gunning out Bendig at the plate.

Mississippi State will return to action this weekend when the Bulldogs open up its conference schedule in a three-game series with No. 25 South Carolina at the Mississippi State Softball Field. The teams will open their series in a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and close out with a 12:30 p.m. single game on Sunday.

#3 Stanford 7, #23 Mississippi State 0
Mississippi State 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
Stanford 021 040 x - 7 14 1
Massey (1,7), Whitehead (2) and Waterman; Nyberg and Allister. W - Nyberg (15-1). L - Massey (3-4). Save - None. 2B: MSU - Wilkerson, Tillman; STAN - Walker, Brangham, Bendig.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department

03/09/02
Softball
PLANT CITY, Fla. - Starter Melissa Massey fired the first solo no-hitter in two seasons and Mississippi State (15-9) pounded out eight runs on 10 hits as the Bulldogs eased by Nicholls State (6-12) Friday afternoon at the Speedline Invitational in Plant City, Fla.

Kellie Wilkerson crossed the plat twice and turned in a pair of RBIs on a 1-for-2 day at the plate, with Lindsay Nelson and Jennifer Jessup collecting an RBI on 2-for-3 showings. Only Two players reached base for the Colonels.

Massey (3-3) struck out five and walked two over six innings of work to record State's second no-hitter of the campaign and the first solo no-no since Jennifer Pursell's gem against UMass on March 4, 2000. Duffi Matherne (1-1) allowed seven earned runs in four and two-thirds innings of work to take the loss for Nicholls State.

The Bulldogs wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard, using a pair of walks and a flash of sunlight to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Wilkerson reached on a five-pitch walk, then was joined on the basepaths two batters later on a walk issued to Iyhia McMichael. State put both runners into scoring position on stolen bases, then brought the first score across the plate on a wild pitch by Matherne.

Nelson extended the lead out to 2-0 when her high pop fly was lost in the sunlight by first baseman Jamee Henry.

Mississippi State brought 11 players to the plate in a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run shot by Wilkerson in the second at-bat, then got a leadoff triple from McMichael and an RBI single from Jennifer Waterman in the sixth to invoke the mercy rule.

In Friday's opening game, State put together a trio of multi-run innings and rallied behind a pair of its pitchers to end a two-game skid with an 8-3 victory over North Carolina.

Wilkerson collected three RBIs and a pair of runs scored on a 2-for-2 performance with two home runs and two walks. Krystal Tillman (2-for-4) and Lindsay Nelson (2-for-3) also turned in multi-hit performances for the Bulldogs. Two players collected a pair of hits for the Tar Heels.

Starter Kasey Whitehead (8-6) struck out one and allowed a pair of earned runs in three and two-thirds innings of work to nab the victory for the Bulldogs. Wilkerson struck out seven in the remaining three and one-thirds innings to record her NCAA record-tying 24th career save. North Carolina starter Erica Ennis (2-2) allowed seven hits and six earned runs in three and one-thirds innings to take the loss for the Tar Heels.

North Carolina got two hits in its first three at-bats of the contest to plate speedy leadoff hitter Tiffany Tolleson, then pushed the lead to 2-0 three batters later on Shannon Walsh's RBI single to rightfield. Mississippi State answered with Wilkerson's solo home run in the bottom of the first, then plated three runs on a pair of second-inning hits to take the lead for good.

North Carolina used a hit and a pair of Mississippi State fielding errors to plate an unearned run in the top of the sixth, but State responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame to extend its lead out to 6-3. The Bulldogs plated a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a wild pitch from Ashley Allen and a two-out RBI single by Tyeah Patterson to provide the final.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday when they close out round-robin pool play at the Speedline Invitational with a 11 a.m. CT contest against Temple. With a victory, State will qualify for championship bracket play beginning at 4 p.m.

Game 1 - #23 Mississippi State 8, North Carolina 3
North Carolina 200 100 0 - 3 7 0
Mississippi State 130 202 x - 8 11 2
Ennis, Allen (4) and Anter; Whitehead, Wilkerson (4) and Brown, Waterman (6). W - Whitehead (8-6). L - Ennis (2-2). Save - Wilkerson (6). HR: MSU - Wilkerson 2 (5). 2B: MSU - Brown (4).

Game 2 - #23 Mississippi State 8, Nicholls State 0 (6 Innings)
Nicholls State 000 000 - 0 0 0
Mississippi State 200 051 - 8 10 1
Matherne, Blanco (5) and Hebert; Massey and Brown, Waterman (5). W - Massey (3-3). L - Matherne (1-1). Save - None. HR: MSU - Wilkerson (6). 3B: MSU - McMichael (5).

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department

03/08/02
Softball
PLANT CITY, Fla. - Central Michigan (9-7) plated a run in the first and third innings, then rode the shoulders of a three-hit shutout by starter Amber Puchalski, to slip by 23rd-ranked Mississippi State (13-9), 2-0, Thursday afternoon at the Speedline Invitational in Plant City, Fla.

Three different players recorded hits for the Bulldogs, with Kasey Whitehead paving the way on a 1-for-1 showing at the plate with a walk. Blaire Brown (1-for-3) and Lindsay Nelson (1-for-2) also recorded hits for the Bulldogs. Leftfielder Jennifer Skuta sparked the Chippewas on a 2-for-2 tally at the plate with a walk and an RBI.

Whitehead (7-6) surrendered two runs on six hits in three innings of work to notch her second loss of the day, despite a pair of strikeouts. Relievers Melissa Massey and Kellie Wilkerson struck out two batters and allowed just a pair of hits over the final three innings, but both got no decisions. Puchalski (4-2) scattered three hits and struck out 12 Bulldogs to grab the victory.

Whitehead struck out the first batter of the game, then got centerfielder Sarah Hamilton to pop up to second base to start off strong. However, the Chippewas rallied for three consecutive hits, the last being an RBI single by Karlyl McCormack, to take a 1-0 lead into the second. Central Michigan used a one-out single and a fielding error by Mississippi State second baseman Lindsay Nelson to plate an unearned insurance run in the third.

Mississippi State used a leadoff walk by Wilkerson and a single by Brown to put together a rally in the sixth, but Puchalski settled down to retire the next two batters - getting Tillman to fly out one step from the leftfield fence and Lindsay Nelson on a groundout to shortstop.

In the morning game for the Bulldogs, Florida Atlantic (20-3) sent seven batters to the plate in a three-run first inning and rallied behind a strong pitching performance from all-American Nicole Myers to move past Mississippi State, 6-0, in the tournament opener for both squads.

Jennifer Nelson (2-for-4) and Tillman (2-for-3) combined for four of Mississippi State's seven hits in the contest, with three other players recording base hits for the Bulldogs. Florida Atlantic leadoff hitter Ninya Ybarra scored a pair of runs on a 3-for-4 hitting performance to pace te Owls.

Whitehead allowed five hits and four runs in one inning of work to take the loss for the Bulldogs, while Massey struck out six and allowed three hits over the final six innings of play to get the no decision. Myers (12-2) scattered seven hits and struck out 13 batters over a complete game to nab the victory for FAU.

Florida Atlantic belted out hits in first four at-bats of the game to plate a pair of runs quickly, then used an illegal pitch (balk) by Whitehead to plate its third run of the contest and take a 3-0 lead into the second. Ginny Matthews led off the second inning with a solo homer to leftfield to chase Whitehead from the circle. The Owls used a leadoff double from Ybarra, coupled with a pair of walks and a fielding error by shortstop Jennifer Jessup, to plate a pair of insurance runs in the fifth for a 6-0 lead.

The Bulldogs put together a rally in the seventh frame, loading the bases with just one out showing, but Myers got Wilkerson (fielder's choice) and Jennifer Nelson on groundouts to third base to close the door.

Mississippi State will resume round-robin pool play at the Speedline Invitational on Friday, locking horns with North Carolina at 9 a.m. CT, before closing out day two in an 11 a.m. contest against Nicholls State. Both games will be played at the ISF Softball Complex.

Game 1 - #13 Florida Atlantic 6, #23 Mississippi State 0
Florida Atlantic 310 020 0 - 6 8 0
Mississippi State 000 000 0 - 0 7 2
Myers and Piper; Whitehead, Massey (2) and Brown. W - Myers (12-2). L - Whitehead 7-5). Save - None. HR: FAU - Matthews. 2B: FAU - Ybarra, Myers.

Game 2 - Central Michigan 2, #23 Mississippi State 0
Mississippi State 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
Central Michigan 101 000 x - 2 8 0
Whitehead, Massey (4), Wilkerson (7) and Waterman; Puchalski and Horvath. W - Puchalski (4-2). L - Whitehead (7-6). Save - None. 2B: MSU - L. Nelson.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department

03/04/02
Baseball
Overall record: 6-1-1 (Home: 4-1-1 - Away: 2-0)

Last week's results: 5-0 (Home: 3-0 - Away: 2-0)
Tues., Feb. 26 - MSU 14, Louisiana Tech 7 (Ruston, La.)
Wed., Feb. 27 - MSU 6, UL-Monroe 5 (Monroe, La.)
Sat., Mar. 2 - MSU 11, Jacksonville State 6 (Dudy Noble Field)
Sat., Mar. 2 - MSU 14, Jacksonville State 2 (Dudy Noble Field)
Sun., Mar. 3 - MSU 5, Jacksonville State 1 (Dudy Noble Field)

This week's schedule:
Wed., Mar. 6 - vs. Jackson State (Dudy Noble Field 4 p.m.)
Fri, Mar. 8 - vs. Loyola Marymount (Dudy Noble Field 4 p.m.)
Sat., Mar. 9 - vs. Loyola Marymount (Dudy Noble Field 2 p.m.)
Sun., Mar. 10 - vs. Loyola Marymount (Dudy Noble Field 11 a.m.)

MSU NOTES: The Bulldogs went 5-for-5 in their first full week of competition this season, topping Louisiana Tech (14-7) and UL-Monroe (6-5) in their initial road games this year and then sweeping a three-game home set against Jacksonville (Ala.) State. The JSU series opened a seven-game homestand for Mississippi State. State hosts instate non-conference rival Jackson State Wednesday and entertains defending West Coast Conference champion Loyola Marymount in a three-game weekend series at Dudy Noble Field. It will mark the first baseball meetings between the Bulldogs and the Lions.

Bulldog bats warmed up considerably in the last five games. MSU hit at a .363 clip in that span, with senior centerfielder Casey Long (9x16 .562), sophomore first baseman Matthew Brinson (9x19 .474), sophomore rightfielder Steve Gendron (7x17 .435) and senior catcher Jason Burkley (7x17 .412) leading the way. Long is hitting .500 for the season while Brinson (.448) is riding a career-best eight-game hitting streak.

Burkley belted four home runs and a double and drove in nine runs in five games. He shares the early team RBI lead (10) with Gendron. MSU did not hit a home run until its 15th game in 2001 and finished with 38 for the year. Through eight games five Bulldogs have combined for nine roundtrippers. Bulldog batters Brinson, Burkley and Mungle hit consecutive home runs (MSU first since 1989) in the first game of a twinbill with Jacksonville State and followed up the feat with back-to-back-to-back doubles in the nightcap.

Junior left-hander Joey Collums (1-0, 2.25) registered a career-high 15 strikeouts (7.0 IP) in the series finale against JSU, the most by a Bulldog pitcher since 2000 (Kevin Donovan vs. Arkansas). He now leads the club with 18 strikeouts and has issued one walk in 12 innings. Sophomore lefty Paul Maholm also hit double digits with an 11-strikeout performance (6.0 IP) against JSU. Junior righty Chris Young, in his first career start and 50th career appearance, turned in the team's first complete-game pitching performance in the Bulldogs' win at UL-Monroe (2-27). Young, the MVP of the 2001 SEC Baseball Tournament, allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out six in 9.0 IP. Sophomore Jonathan Papelbon (1-0, 0.00) earned his first career win in relief at Louisiana Tech (2/26) and in two relief appearances last week (6.0 IP) struck out 12, allowed two hits and did not walk a batter.

Thirty-two Bulldogs, 13 of them pitchers, have played during MSU's first eight games.

MISSISSIPPI STATE TEAM STATISTICAL TOTALS
Hitting .338 (97x287, 18-2B, 1-3B, 9-HR, 55-RBI, 41-BB, 56-K, 5/7-SB)
Pitching 4.06 (71.0 IP, 65-H, 38/32-R/ER, 22-BB, 82-K, OBA-.244)
Fielding .968 (213-PO, 90-A, 10-E, 10-DP)

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department