March 7, 2007

Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Samford University softball team allowed a season-high 15 hits against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Wednesday in a 7-0 non-conference loss held at the MSU Softball Field.

Samford (10-8) finished with three hits in the game and failed to score a run for only the third time this season. The Bulldogs' Susanna Meyer (2-4) suffered the loss in the circle and the team dropped to 2-7 in road contests.

"We didn't do anything well today," said Samford head coach Beanie Ketcham. "We didn't make adjustments at the plate and we didn't do things on defense that we normally know how to do. Obviously, Susanna struggled a little bit, but that wasn't our main problem."

Mississippi State (15-8) picked up its sixth shutout of the 2007 campaign Wednesday.

The Bulldogs finished with five players recording multiple-hit performances and were led by Nikita Boyce and Hayle Guess. Both Boyce and Guess went 3-for-4 at the plate and accounted for five of the team's seven runs. Boyce scored a run and earned an RBI, while Guess crossed the plate twice and drove in a run.

Samford was held hitless until the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth frame, the Bulldogs' Amanda Barrs singled through the left side of the infield before junior Tracey Deaux lined a single off the pitcher. Samford's third hit of the game occurred in the sixth inning when sophomore Jessica Owens ripped a grounder up the middle.

Mississippi State's starting pitcher Kelli Miller (6-3) earned the victory.

"We are going to come out and practice hard this week and hopefully be ready by the time conference play rolls around," Ketcham said. "I thought that Brittany Simao did a good job at third base for us today and she's really been learning. She's a smooth athlete and comes from a baseball background. I think she'll end up being pretty solid for us."

Mississippi State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Guess and Courtney Bures both crossed the plate for the Bulldogs.

Boyce led off the frame with a bunt single to first base, but was later forced out at third on a ground ball to Samford's Simao. Guess then came to the plate and tallied an infield single to shortstop. She later advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around to score on Jessie Bailey's infield up the middle.

Mississippi State scored its second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. With one out in the frame, Lindsay Hunley flied out to deep center field allowing Bures to cross the plate from third.

MSU exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth frame to extend its lead to 7-0.

The Bulldogs sent 10 hitters to plate in the inning and recorded six hits. The big blow occurred with two outs as Hunley lined a double to left-center field driving in both Bailey and Bures.

Hunley, Mississippi State's first baseman from Aurora, Ill., finished the day with a three runs batted in after tallying a 1-for-3 performance at the plate.

All seven of the Bulldogs' runs were scored with two outs.

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Saturday as the Bulldogs host their annual Bulldog Bash Tournament. This season's three-team field includes Samford, Saint Louis and Alabama State.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to square off against the Alabama State Lady Hornets at 1:15 p.m., on Saturday followed by a 3:30 p.m., matchup versus the Saint Louis Billikens.