Offensive Woes Continue for No. 18 Mississippi State

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mississippi State’s offense hasn’t lived up to its status as one of the best in the SEC. The 18th-ranked Bulldogs (30-16, 9-11 SEC) have scored just three runs in their last three games and SEC Player of the Year candidate Madisyn Kennedy hasn’t registered a hit since MSU’s win over Memphis on April 16.

Those offensive woes continued in the Bulldogs’ 4-1 loss to No. 14 Missouri (36-13, 9-10 SEC) on Sunday evening. The game was played an hour earlier than scheduled due to incoming rain that arrived in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The rain didn’t stop Mississippi State, though. MSU got two runners in scoring position after Sierra Sacco’s second double of the game. But the Bulldogs failed to capitalize, ending the game on a Nadia Barbary strikeout.

Missouri pitcher Cierra Harrison shut down the Bulldogs’ offense, allowing just two hits before the sixth inning when MSU scored its first run of the series. A Sacco single followed by a Barbary walk and Madisyn Kennedy reaching base on a fielding error loaded the bases with just one out in the sixth inning. Missouri replaced Harrison with Marissa McCann, who got Jessie Blaine to fly out, but Jadyn Burney drove in a single with an infield single. The bases remained loaded for Paige Cook, but she recorded the third out with a ground out to second base.

Missouri pitcher Cierra Harrison shut down the Bulldogs’ offense, allowing just two hits before the sixth inning when MSU scored its first run of the series. A Sierra Sacco single followed by a Nadia Barbary walk and Madisyn Kennedy reaching base on a fielding error loaded the bases with just one out in the sixth inning. Missouri replaced Harrison with Marissa McCann, who got Jessie Blaine to fly out, but Jadyn Burney drove in a single with an infield single. The bases remained loaded for Paige Cook, but she recorded the third out with a ground out to second base.

Sacco led the Bulldogs offense, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and scored her team’s only run. Kylee Edwards was also 2-for-3 and Ella Wesolowski was the only other batter to record a hit.

Josey Marron pitched the first four innings for MSU, giving up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two batters. Delainey Everett shut down Missouri the rest of the way, but got off to rocky start with a leadoff walk in the fifth inning. Everett bounced back to strikeout the next three batters and ended the game with four total strikeouts and no other base runners.

MSU and Missouri wrap up their series Monday evening at 6 p.m. The game will air on SEC Network.