Mississippi State continues to shine in the desert
Mississippi State softball continued its winning ways at the Mary Nutter Classic.
The morning matchup against UCF set the tone for the Bulldogs. Led by Aspen Wesley (4-0) in the circle, Mississippi State secured a 2-1 victory over the Knights. Wesley tossed 6.2 innings before giving way to Josey Marron in the bottom of the seventh. Marron retired the last batter, earning her first save of the year.
Sierra Sacco propelled the Bulldogs’ offense, going 4-for-4 in the morning matchup. Sacco’s bat control and speed on the base paths make her the ideal leadoff hitter. The LA Tech transfer started the scoring in the third, with a one-out fake-bunt slap. Nadia Barbary’s double down the left field line allowed Sacco to score from first for the first run of the ballgame.
It was small ball again in the fifth, as Brylie St. Clair singled to start off the inning followed by a Sacco spinning bunt to third that remained fair. St. Clair scored on fielder’s choice to second base for the go-ahead run.
Why is Wesley so effective? Wesley commands the upper part of the zone with precision and works both sides of the plate. The curveball is her go-to pitch and she can locate it one, two, three balls off the plate. Add in an effective riseball, screwball and Taryne Mowatt calling pitches, and she becomes even more effective. The off-speed is used sparingly and strategically to check hitters and keep them guessing. It’s not as big of a factor early in the season and the curveball is the pitch to hit.
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Bulldogs rally to overcome three-run deficit
In a thrilling comeback against Notre Dame, the Bulldogs rallied from a three-run deficit to secure their second win of the day. Josey Marron tossed two innings before handing over the reins to Lexi Sosa. The UCLA transfer earned the win allowing six hits in five shutout innings of work.
Offensively, the Bulldogs continued to shine, boasting a team batting average of .372 and a talented lineup. Kylee Edwards emerged as the hero, delivering clutch hits and driving in crucial runs. Her solo home run showed the Bulldogs’ power at the bottom of the lineup.
The Bulldogs continue to play gritty softball and come-from-behind wins are a sign a team is trending in the right direction. With a 10-1 record, Samantha Ricketts shares her thoughts on where the Dawgs are at heading into Friday.
Mississippi State (10-1) continues to shine ✨ in the desert.
Get insights from head coach Samantha Ricketts following a successful 2-0 day at the @NutterClassic @SoftbalAmerica x @HailStateSB pic.twitter.com/WdGTbeVDyU
— Tara Henry (@notarabledays) February 23, 2024
