by Brian Ogden
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State defeated No. 8 Clemson, 6-3, on Saturday afternoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Bulldogs scored early and never looked back, adding to their lead with the help of four Tiger errors.
Aspen Wesley threw her second complete game of the week, and her second against a ranked team. She struck out a season-high eight, coming one shy of her career high in the process.
“Another fifth-year senior for us, and it’s been so fun to see her really come into her own,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said of Wesley. “I think she’s now starting to show everyone what we’ve known about her all along and that’s how talented she is. She’s doing a great job working with Coach T [Taryne Mowatt-McKinney] and really mixing pitches and speeds and really keeping really potent lineups off base.”
Madisyn Kennedy drove in three runs with a two-run homer and a double. Jessie Blaine also brought a runner home with a single. State plated two runs on errors by two different pitchers in the fourth and sixth.
State (7-0) plated five runs against Clemson’s (6-2) Valerie Cagle, who is the reigning National Player of the Year. The sixth run that scored was also Cagle’s responsibility.
Seven of State’s nine starters collected hits, four of which were for extra bases.
