STARKVILLE – In a back and forth affair, Mississippi State (31-15, 9-11 SEC) dropped the series to No. 12 Tennessee (34-11, 10-7 SEC), 5-3, at the MSU Softball Field on the second day of Super Bulldog Weekend.

The 1,362 fans in attendance helped set the third-largest attendance figure in the history of the MSU Softball Field.

For the second straight day, junior Kayla Winkfield led the Bulldogs offensively as she went 1-for-3 with one run scores and two RBIs on a triple.

Tennessee struck first in the top of the first inning taking a 1-0 lead on an MSU error.

In the bottom of the second, sophomore Katie Anne Bailey reached on a walk and sophomore Alexis Silkwood followed with a fielder’s choice to give State two base runners. Winkfield stayed hot with a two-run triple to take a 2-1 lead. Junior Loryn Nichols walked to place runners on the corners, with speed on the bases the Bulldogs executed a double steal extending the lead to 3-1.

In the top of the fourth, UT tied the game at three after a single followed by a two-run home run to right-center field. UT regained the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI walk and pushed their lead to 5-3 in the seventh.

Cheyanne Tarango (4-2), the winning pitcher for UT, pitched a complete game with three hits, three runs, three walks, and two strikeouts. Freshman Holly Ward (6-3), the losing pitcher for MSU, pitched 2.0 innings and surrendered two hits, two runs, and three walks.

Game three of the series will be Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. CT. Coverage will also be provided on the SEC Network+.

MSU Media Relations