April 18, 2009
MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. – Freshman Ka’ili Smith hit a three-run homer to lead Mississippi State to a 4-2 win over South Carolina in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday at MSU Softball Field.
Mississippi State (22-21, 4-14 SEC) got on the board in the fifth with four runs. Jessie Spain led off the inning with a single and scored when the Gamecocks dropped the throw on the attempted force play at second. With two runners on, Smith drove the first pitch of the at bat over the wall in right to put the Bulldogs up, 4-0.
South Carolina (18-18, 4-15 SEC) took back one run on Lindsay Walker’s fielder’s choice in the top of the sixth. With one out, the Garnet and Black connected for consecutive singles by Kristen Stubblefield, Jill Semento and Evan Childs. Walker followed with a grounder to short and beat out the relay from second, allowing Stubblefield to score. Bulldog starter Lindsey Dunlap (13-12) got out of the inning with a fly out.
Sophomore Laura Mendes tried to spark a two-out rally in the seventh with a blast that snuck over the wall near the right-field fair pole. But Dunlap came back to strike out the next batter to end the contest, 4-2.
Dunlap scattered seven hits and a walk over the complete-game win, allowing two earned runs while striking out five. Gamecock starter Audrey Broyles (10-8) picked up the loss, allowing all four earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.2 innings.
Stubblefield was the only Gamecock to pick up two hits in the game, while Mendes had the only extra-base hit.
