• Official Statistics (vs. North Carolina State)
• Official Statistics (vs. North Carolina State) (PDF)
• Official Statistics (vs. Maryland)
• Official Statistics (vs. Maryland) (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Sophomore Ka’ili Smith collected three hits, including two home runs, as the Mississippi State softball team split Saturday’s doubleheader at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.

The Bulldogs (8-5) claimed a 5-4 win over Maryland (3-5) in the second game after dropping a tough 4-3 decision to N.C. State (8-5) earlier in the day.

Three-time all-American Chelsea Bramlett joined Smith, a Kapolei, Hawaii, native, in collecting three hits over the pair of games.

“At least we got on the right side of one of these one-run games. We are fighting right now, and it’s just a matter of getting some players to step up,” Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller said. “We had a lot of opportunities today, and we let them off the hook. We have to get that killer instinct back. Stephanie Becker did a nice job today, and hopefully we can build on the win and come out strong tomorrow.”

Against Maryland, the Bulldogs clinched the win on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth. Brittany Gates and Bramlett opened the inning with back-to-back walks. The pair moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Allie Heon, and Gates scored the game-winner as Kendra Knight’s pitch to Smith sailed off the catcher’s glove to the backstop.

The Terps had a chance to tie in the bottom of the seventh as Kathy McLaughlin reached on a two-out base hit and moved to third on a two-base wild pitch. Becker, who came in relief in both of Saturday’s games, got a line-out to end the game and pick up her first collegiate victory.

Becker (1-1) tossed four shutout innings against Maryland, striking out two while allowing three hits. Kylie Vry drew the start and went three innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on two hits with three strikeouts.

The Bulldogs jumped out to the early advantage, plating a pair of runs in the first inning. Bramlett started the game with a base hit and stole second, her 11th-straight steal to open the season. After a pop-out and a strikeout, Smith kept the inning alive as she sent a line drive off UMD starter Kerry Hickey.

Bainbridge stepped to the plate and sent a double to the left-field fence that cleared the bases and gave the Dawgs the early 2-0 lead.

The Terps struck with a run in the second, but the Dawgs answered right back in the third as Smith hit her second home run of the afternoon, a solo shot to right with two outs in the frame.

“Ka’ili found out this morning that a tsunami was going to hit Hawaii. It had been a tough morning for her, and to see her step up and hit a couple of home runs was big,” Miller said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, and I know it is something that has weighed heavily on her today.”

Maryland came back in the fourth and took a 4-3 lead on a Marisha Brannon three-run home run, but Bulldog junior Courtney Nesbit knotted the game at 4-4 in the fifth when she hit a two-out solo home run, her second of the season, down the line in left field.

“Courtney gave us a big stick when we needed it. She brought us back and gave us an opportunity to win, and that was nice to see after she struggled with the bat in the first game,” Miller said.

State’s game-tying fifth inning chased Hickey, who gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out six over five innings. Knight worked the final frame, allowing the winning unearned run while walking three.

As they did against Maryland, MSU jumped out to an early lead against N.C. State thanks to a two-run second inning. Smith led off the inning with a towering home run to right-center, and Jessie Bailey followed three batters later with a solo shot over the fence in center field, her first of the season.

The Wolfpack, however, answered back in the third, cutting the lead to 2-1 on an Alyssa Allbritten base hit. N.C. State gained the lead two innings later as Claudia Cooper lined a two-out, two-run home run over the right-center field fence.

In the sixth inning, Bridget Desbois extended the N.C. State lead to 4-2 with a solo home run off Becker, who tossed 1.1 innings and allowed one run, one hit and struck out one in relief of Bulldog starter Misty Flesher. Flesher fell to 3-2 on the year as she was touched for three runs on four hits over the opening 4.2 innings.

Despite facing the two-run deficit entering its last at-bat, State fought back and had the tying run at third base. Bailey led off the inning with a single and scored three batters later on a Bramlett triple to the fence in center field. The Dawgs were unable to get the tying run across, however, as Lindsay Campana got a ground-out to end the game.

Campana improved to 6-1 on the year, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out 13 in the complete-game effort.

The Dawgs close out the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday, facing Illinois State at 9 a.m. CT.