Cowbell Corner

No. 18 Mississippi State Upset by Samford in Midweek Contest

MSU’s season doesn’t get any easier with only ranked SEC opponents left to play

Taylor Hodges

Mississippi State Athletics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mississippi State hadn’t played a game since last Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to South Alabama. Unfortunately, that time off may have done more harm than good.

No. 18 Mississippi State (30-14, 9-9 SEC)  was held to just three hits and two errors, the second error giving Samford (17-27, 9-6 Southern Conference) a walk-off 3-2 win.
The win was Samford’s eighth win all-time against an SEC opponent.

Samford’s Oliva Shaw was responsible for all three of her team’s runs. She hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning that answered MSU’s two-run top half of the inning. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with a runner on base, Shaw hit a pitch to right centerfield and MSU right fielder struggled to gather the ball and dropped the ball as she was preparing to throw. The fielding error allowed Samford’s Lindsey Nelson to score the game-winning run.

Jessie Blaine drove in the only runs for MSU in the fourth inning. Her single to left field drove in Nadia Barbary and Sierra Sacco, but Blaine would be thrown out at first base on the play.

MSU had a scoring chance end in the top of the seventh inning when Ella Wesolowski led off with a base hit and was pinch ran for by Kat Wallace.

Wallace advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, but would be thrown out at second base on Kylee Edwards’ hit to the left side of the infield.

Lexi Sosa started the final non-conference game for MSU and held Samford to two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Malatasi Faapito (3-2) pitched the final two innings for MSU and struck out one batter, but gave up the game-winning hit that led Samford’s win.

MSU will have to rebound quickly as the only opponents left on its schedule are top 15-ranked SEC teams. That journey starts this weekend on the road at No. 14 Missouri (35-13, 8-10 SEC). The entire three-game series will air on SEC Network and starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. Game 2 is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Sunday and the series finale at 6 p.m. Monday.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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