Mizzou Sends Mississippi State Home Early in the Series Finale

Kirsten Mack’s first career grand slam, and home runs by Natalie Fleming and Angela Randazzo propel Mizzou to a 10-2 victory.

With Head Coach Ehren Earleywine serving the first game of his two game suspension, the Tigers took the field with the intent to take it to Mississippi State right away.

“Some of our senior leaders really got together and said, let’s go out here and fight and come with energy, and let’s put it to them right away” said sophomore catcher Kirsten Mack.

Mizzou followed the game plan and put the pressure on early. The first three batters of the game reached base safely to load the bases for the middle of the order. After a pop out by Corrin Genovese, senior Angela Randazzo put together an 11 pitch walk to bring home the first run of the game.

The next batter, senior Kelsea Roth, hit several foul balls before she was hit by the ninth pitch of the at bat to bring home the second run of the game.

After receiving instructions from Associate Head Coach Pete D’Amour to take a few pitches because MSU pitcher, Alexis Silkwood, was having trouble throwing strikes. Mack came to the plate with the bases still loaded.

“I said hey Pete, if I get a strike, can I swing,” said Mack. “He said make sure it is a strike.”

It is a good thing she had the green light, because Mack smashed a ball deep to center field for her first career grand slam. The grand slam was Mack’s team leading 11th home run of the season. Mack finished the game with a new career high 4 RBI.

The grand slam was the finishing touch to a six run first inning where the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate.

After a 1, 2, 3 bottom of the second inning, Randazzo increased the Tiger lead 7-0 when she lead off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field. Randazzo finished the game 1-1 with two runs scored, two RBI and two walks.

In the top of the fifth Mississippi State would try to mount a comeback as sophomore ace Tori Finucane began to tire in the circle.

“She had a full count and walked a kid and it [the pitch] was head high,” said D’Amour “I thought she lost it then.”

Finucane breezed through the first four innings, allowing only 2 hits and two walks, but a walk and an error by right fielder Emily Crane left two runners in scoring position. Third baseman Caroline Seitz managed to close the gap when she singled home two runs, but that was all the Bulldogs would be able to manage.

With a five run lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers needed three runs to end the game by mercy rule.

Randazzo managed to work her second walk of the game, and moved to scoring position on two wild pitches. Mack was then hit by a pitch to bring the previously homerless Natalie Fleming to the plate.

Standing on third, Randazzo gave some last minute advice to Fleming.

“I said just be ready, swing as hard as you can,” said Randazzo.

Fleming swung hard, and the result was a moonshot over the scoreboard in center field for her first home run of the season. The home run gave Missouri the eight run lead to bring the run rule into effect.

“I don’t think in the four years I’ve been here, I have seen one go over the scoreboard in a game,” said Randazzo.