Collegiate Update: Edwards sparks late Mississippi State rally at Missouri

collegiate-update-edwards-sparks-late-mississippi-state-rally-at-missouri

Down to its final out Monday, Kylee Edwards delivered a momentum-changing double that sparked a three-run rally to get No. 18 Mississippi State a 3-2 win at No. 14 Missouri to avoid a three-game sweep.

The win was the Bulldogs’ 10th comeback victory of the season and improved them to 31-16 (10-11 Southeastern Conference).

Missouri won the series opener Saturday, 4-0. Edwards had one of just three hits for Mississippi State in the loss. The Tigers won game two Sunday, 4-1. Edwards had two singles.

On Monday, the Mississippi State offense continued to struggle but found enough runs in the seventh inning to secure the win.

“It felt good to break through, and you could just feel the tension kind of release,” said Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts. “I think they did a great job of really staying together through the struggles of the last couple of weeks. I thought the pitchers were great all weekend at having our backs, and it was nice to be able to mount that comeback for them. It really was a team effort. Kylee sparking it. Mata with a big hit off the bench with two strikes. Sierra’s walk to keep us going, and then Nadia coming up clutch. I’m just really proud of the fight, the grit and the willingness to stay positive and stay together through the ups and downs.”

Edwards hit. 500 in the series and had a hit in each game.

Here is a look at other Shelby County graduates competing at the collegiate level.

Zaleeya Martin

The Shelbyville graduate finished runner-up in the 100 meters (12.32 seconds), seventh in the 200 (25.81) and was part of the University of Indianapolis’ winning 400 relay squad (47.06) Saturday at the Sycamore Open in Terre Haute.

Elizabeth Kemper

The Triton Central graduate tied for 10th overall with a two-round score of 168 (83-85) for No. 21-ranked Taylor on April 22 at the Sagamore Shootout in Noblesville, Indiana.

Taylor had six of the top-10 finishers in the event to capture the team title.

Oliver Gearlds

The Triton Central graduate tied for 43rd overall with a 166 (80-86) for IU Kokomo at the Sagamore Shootout in Noblesville.

Asher Caldwell

The Morristown graduate finished in a tie for 34th overall with a 166 (80-86) for Trine men’s golf at the MIAA Championships Friday and Saturday at The Legacy Golf Club in Ottawa Lake, Michigan.

Morgan Stieneker and Erica Henry

The pair of Shelbyville graduates played key roles in IU Columbus’ final softball game of the 2024 season. On Sunday, Stieneker drove in the only run of the game with a fifth-inning single and Henry twirled a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts in a 1-0 win at Brescia (Kentucky).

IU Columbus won the first game of the doubleheader Sunday, 4-1. Stieneker had three hits.

With the doubleheader sweep, IU Columbus finished its second season of softball with a 13-27 record.

Katie Mathies

The Shelbyville graduate had three hits, including a triple, to help DePauw push its win streak to 14 straight and clinch the program’s fifth-consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference championship Sunday with an 11-7 win in 12 innings at Hiram.

The win secured a doubleheader sweep at Hiram. The Tigers won game one, 4-2.

On Saturday, DePauw swept Wittenberg, 8-6 (9 innings) and 4-2. Mathies had three RBI in game one.

DePauw is 24-11-1 (12-0 NCAC).

Karissa Hamilton

The Shelbyville graduate went 1-for-3 at the plate for Kentucky Sunday in a 3-0 loss to South Carolina. The Wildcats are 30-18 (8-13 Southeastern Conference) this season.

Charlie Rife

The Shelbyville graduate collected his third home run of the season, a two-run blast in the second inning, on April 23 in Bellarmine’s 12-9 loss at Murray State.

On Friday, Rife had two hits and a run batted in against Kennesaw State University in a 7-2 loss.

Aaron Shircliff

The Triton Central graduate had a pair of walks Saturday for Goshen baseball in a 26-2 loss at Taylor.

Goshen closed out its 2024 season with a 12-36 record.

Kina Schultz

The Shelbyville graduate finished seventh in the 100 hurdles (17.11) for Muskingum Thursday at the Walsh Invitational.

Schultz also was part of Muskingum’s fourth-place finishing 1,600 relay team (4:12.4).

HCAC Track and Field Championship

Four Shelby County graduates competed Friday and Saturday in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted at Manchester University.

Waldron graduate Madalyn Hudnall produced top-12 finishes in four events for Mount St. Joseph. She placed third in the javelin (37.15 meters), fourth in the shot put (11.31), eighth in the discus (30.4) and 12th in the hammer throw (36.0).

Southwestern graduate Alison Muck  finished runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.67) and tied for fourth in the high jump (1.45) for Franklin College.

Triton Central graduate Bailey Stamper placed 11th for Franklin College in the shot put (9.13) and 17th in the discus (22.98).

Shelbyville graduate Ava Ruschhaupt finished 16th in the 100 (15.58) and 21st in the 200 (35.69) for Franklin College.

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