Junior Reggie Harrison went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI,
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Perfect weather, hot bats and strong pitching were the highlights of Thursday, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-2) downed the No. 21 Fresno State Bulldogs (4-2), 4-1, in Game 1 of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
Led by junior Reggie Harrison, who went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI, the Bulldogs erased an early FSU lead and never looked back.
FINAL | Game of the @PVFastpitch: #HailState pic.twitter.com/HBvH9WLis8
— MSU Softball (@HailStateSB) February 16, 2017
"Very proud of this team for how they performed today and the amount of energy they brought from start to finish," MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. "Whether it was someone on the field or in the dugout, the energy was incredible and it sparked our performance. Now we have to put our focus on the games tomorrow and continuing to play with high energy all the time."
Fresno State was first on the board, as a double and a single drove home a run to put FSU up 1-0. The lead would not last long, as Harrison got a hold of a 3-2 pitch and sent it over the fence in left for the first homer of her MSU career.
The inning didn't stop there, even when Fresno State got the next two batters out. With two outs on the board and the bases clear, Emily Heimberger knocked a single up the middle to get things rolling. After an Amanda Ivy walk, a FSU error pushed home two more runs for the Bulldogs to make it 3-1.
Different country, same gear. Equipped with the best in . #HailState pic.twitter.com/AiITpNPpOO
— MSU Softball (@HailStateSB) February 16, 2017
State added an insurance run in the third as Harrison drilled a single to center to bring home pinch runner Maddie Dorsett.
From there, senior Alexis Silkwood kept dominating the circle, closing out the MSU victory and securing a 3-0 start to her season. For the day, Silkwood threw her third complete game of the year while also tossing four strikeouts.
Harrison was not the only Bulldog to dominate the day, as Heimberger turned in a 2-for-3 day with a run scored. Morgan Bell and Bevia Robinson also turned in hits on the day.
