by By Brian Ogden
STARKVILLE – Aspen Wesley and Montana Fouts put on a show on Sunday. The two pitchers each allowed just five hits and combined for 12 strikeouts as Mississippi State dropped a pitchers’ duel to No. 16 Alabama, 1-0.
Wesley had the upper hand in punch outs, retiring seven on strikes to Fouts’ five, but the Bulldog starter allowed an RBI single with two outs in the third that brought home a leadoff walk. That would be the only run scored in the game, despite State (23-19, 3-11 SEC) threatening at multiple points.
“I think the biggest thing we’ve been looking for is consistency, and if we can play a game like this where we’re executing all three phases well – we’re error-free, we’re putting hits up on the board, even our outs are loud outs, hitting the ball hard – I don’t think we’re quite in the hole that we are right now,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “Right now, it’s using this to propel us forward and understand that we have to bring it every day, win or lose, and that it’s time to step up. We’re still in a position where we can fight for this team, and we need people bought in and continuing to fight through the ups and downs, because we know once we get on the other side of it we’re going to be better for it.”
The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the third on a walk, a hit and an error, but Nadia Barbary’s hard hit ground ball up the third-base line was snagged on a dive to start an inning-ending double play. State put two runners aboard on back-to-back hits from Shea Moreno and Jackie McKenna in the fifth but left both runners stranded.
Madisyn Kennedy led off the seventh with a base hit, but the next three were retired in order to end the ballgame.
Wesley threw her third complete game of the season, which is tied for the team lead. She held Alabama (32-12, 9-6 SEC) to just 1-for-10 with runners on base throughout the game, working around four walks.
