MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOG SOFTBALL

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1 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOG SOFTBALL Contact: Brock Turnipseed MSU Athletic Media Relations P.O. Drawer 5308 Mississippi State, MS M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic VS. Wednesday, April 1 6:30 p.m. Liberty Park Madison, Miss. at (2-10 SEC) 36-3 (15-1 SEC) Saturday, April 4 12 p.m. CDT (DH) Sunday, April 5 12 p.m. CDT Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium Gainesville, Fla. All Times Central Standard Time All Games Broadcast on WMSV 91.1 FM and Live Statistics Can Be Found At BULLDOGS VENTURE TO GATOR COUNTRY AFTER TOUGH LOSS The Mississippi State softball team returns to Southeastern Conference action this weekend, facing its second straight Eastern Division foe when it travels to Gainesville to meet the No. 1 team in the nation in the SEC East-leading Florida Gators. The Bulldogs make the trip to the "Sunshine State" looking to rebound after dropping an 8-3 decision to in-state rival Ole Miss Wednesday night in the M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic in Madison, Miss. State fell back to.500 at following the non-conference meeting between the two squads. The Bulldogs used a Courtney Moore two-run double to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the second, but the Bulldogs were unable to hold on as a pair of Lauren Grill home runs and a four-run sixth inning rallied the Rebels to their fourth win in the five meetings between the two schools in the Jackson area. Reigning SEC Player of the Week Ali Bainbridge continued her hot swinging, collecting two of State's four hits in the contest. Two days after being named the SEC Freshman of the Week, Lindsey Dunlap suffered the loss to fall to 9-10 on the year. Mississippi State now turns its attention to a Florida squad that it has been fairly even with over the course of the series. MSU held the series advantage until last season, when the Gators swept the three-game set in Starkville to claim an edge. The Gators have won the last six meetings in the series SCHEDULE/RESULTS Overall 2-10 SEC Date Opponent Time Feb. 6 1-Kennesaw State L, 4-0 Feb. 7 1-Louisiana-Monroe W, 5-3 Feb. 7 1-Iona W, 10-0 (5) Feb. 8 1-Louisiana-Monroe W, 12-5 Feb 11 Southern Mississippi L, 7-3 Feb Purdue W, 4-3 Feb Miami (Ohio) W, 3-0 Feb Appalachian State cancelled Feb at Florida State W, 5-4 Feb Rutgers W, 6-0 Feb Evansville W, 7-0 Feb SIU-Edwardsville W, 3-0 Feb SIU-Edwardsville W, 2-0 Feb. 25 at Mississippi Valley State W, 10-4 Feb Ohio State L, 7-0 Feb Long Island cancelled Feb Massachusetts cancelled Feb Hofstra cancelled Mar. 1 4-Michigan cancelled Mar. 5 5-Florida Gulf Coast L, 8-3 Mar. 5 5-Santa Clara W, 11-3 Mar. 6 5-Oregon State L, 2-0 Mar. 6 5-at Hawaii W, Mar. 7 5-Mount St. Mary s W, 6-1 Mar. 8 5-Radford L, 3-1 Mar. 14 *at Alabama (DH) L, 4-0/L, 7-1 Mar. 15 *at Alabama L, 3-2 Mar. 17 *Arkansas (DH) L, 8-3 (8)/L, 5-1 Mar. 18 *Arkansas L, 3-2 Mar. 21 *LSU (DH) L, 5-4/L, 4-1 Mar. 22 *LSU L, 7-5 Mar. 24 at UAB W, 9-7 Mar. 28 *at Tennessee (DH) W, 5-4/L, 8-0 (5) Mar. 29 *at Tennessee W, 10-6 Apr. 1 6-Mississippi L, 8-3 Apr. 4 *at Florida (DH) 12 pm Apr. 5 *at Florida 12 pm Apr. 8 South Alabama 5 pm Apr. 9 Jackson State (DH) 3 pm Apr. 15 *at Georgia (DH) 4 pm Apr. 18 *South Carolina (DH) 11 am Apr. 19 *South Carolina 1 pm Apr. 22 *Auburn (DH) 3 pm Apr. 24 *at Kentucky (DH) 3 pm Apr. 25 *at Kentucky 12 pm May 2 *Mississippi (DH) 1 pm May 3 *Mississippi 1 pm May SEC Tournament May NCAA Regionals May NCAA Super Regionals May 27-June 3 Women s College World Series Bold indicates home dates 1-Bulldog Round-Robin (Starkville, Miss.) 2-Florida State Sunshine Classic (Tallahassee, Fla.) 3-Bulldog Classic (Starkville, Miss.) 4-NFCA Leadoff Classic (Columbus, Ga.) 5-Malihini Tournament (Honolulu, Hawaii) 6-M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic (Madison, Miss.) 7-Knoxville, Tenn. * SEC Game All Times Central

2 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT 2009 BULLDOGS ROSTER No. Name Pos. B-T Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown/High School/Last College 1 Ali Bainbridge 2B R-R 5-4 So. 1L Vestavia Hills, Ala./Vestavia Hills 4 Brittany Gates OF L-R 5-3 Fr. HS Houston, Miss./Houston 6 Jessie Bailey INF R-R 5-7 Jr. 2L Lithonia, Ga./Mt. Vernon Christian 7 Ka ili Smith OF/C L-L 5-7 Fr. HS Kapolei, Hawai i/kapolei 8 Jessie Spain INF/OF R-R 5-8 So. 1L Birmingham, Ala./Vestavia Hills 9 Kelsey Nurnberg P R-R 6-0 Sr. 2L Ankeny, Iowa/Daytona Beach JC 10 Allie Heon INF R-R 5-3 So. TR Leesburg, Va./Westfield (Villanova) 12 Elizabeth Woolven P L-L 5-7 So. 1L Nettleton, Miss./Mooreville 13 Brittany Bell OF R-R 5-2 So. 1L Brandon, Fla./Riverview 16 Laurie Siebert INF R-R 5-2 Jr. 2L Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland 17 Misty Flesher P R-R 5-9 So. 1L Lone Grove, Okla./Lone Grove 18 Chelsea Bramlett C S-R 5-8 Jr. 2L Cordova, Tenn./First Christian 21 Courtney Moore INF/OF R-R 5-5 Fr. HS El Sobrante, Calif./St. Mary s 25 Courtney Nesbit 1B/OF R-R 5-6 So. 1L Acworth, Ga./Harrison 32 Lindsey Dunlap P L-L 5-8 Fr. HS Hueytown, Ala./Hueytown 34 Sammie Jo Bailey 1B R-R 5-8 Sr. 3L Lithonia, Ga./Mt. Vernon Christian Head Coach: Jay Miller (Illinois State, 1978) Associate Head Coach: Annie Smith (Grinnell College, 1995) Assistant Coach: Bo Reid Student Assistants: Courtney Bures, Nakita Boyce, Gina McCloud, Laura Leigh Reese Manager: Courtney Partridge Trainer: Caitlin Redlich, Certified Athletic Trainer ALPHABETICAL # Name Pos. Cl. 6 Jessie Bailey INF Jr. 34 Sammie Jo Bailey 1B Sr. 1 Ali Bainbridge 2B So. 13 Brittany Bell OF So. 18 Chelsea Bramlett C Jr. 32 Lindsey Dunlap P Fr. 17 Misty Flesher P So. 4 Brittany Gates OF Fr. 10 Allie Heon INF So. 21 Courtney Moore INF/OF Fr. 25 Courtney Nesbit 1B/OF So. 9 Kelsey Nurnberg P Sr. 16 Laurie Siebert INF Jr. 7 Ka ili Smith OF/C Fr. 8 Jessie Spain INF So. 12 Elizabeth Woolven P So. GENERAL INFORMATION Name... Mississippi State University Founded... February 28, 1878 Enrollment...17,824 Conference...Southeastern Colors... Maroon (PMS 202) and White Nickname...Bulldogs Field (Capacity)...MSU Softball Field (750) Website... ADMINISTRATION University President...Dr. Mark Keenum... Mississippi State, 1988 Athletic Director... Greg Byrne... Arizona State, 1994 Faculty Representative...Dr. Steven Turner...Mercer, 1975 Associate AD / Women s Sports... Ann Carr... Mississippi State, 1990 COACHING STAFF Head Coach...Jay Miller (Seventh Season)... Illinois State, 1978 Record at MSU (Years) (6 years) Overall Record (Years) (26 years) Associate Head Coach... Annie Smith... Grinnell College, 1995 Smith s Office Phone Assistant Coach... Bo Reid Reid s Office Phone Athletic Trainer...Caitlin Redlich (First Season) Strength Coach...Erik Korem (Second season) Softball Office Phone Softball Office Fax Miller s Cell Best Time to Reach Coach...Mornings MISSISSIPPI (2) Brittany Gates Houston Elizabeth Woolven Nettleton GEORGIA (3) Jessie Bailey Lithonia Sammie Jo Bailey Lithonia Courtney Nesbit Acworth ALABAMA (3) Ali Bainbridge Vestavia Hills Lindsey Dunlap Hueytown Jessie Spain Birmingham CALIFORNIA (1) Courtney Moore El Sobrante HAWAI I (1) Ka ili Smith Kapolei BY STATE 2009 MISSISSIPPI STATE SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS TEAM INFORMATION 2008 Overall SEC (Finish) (t3rd West) 2008 Postseason... NCAA Regional Letterwinners Returning/Lost...11/6 Position Starters Returning/Lost...7/6 Pitchers Returning/Lost...3/0 Newcomers...5 POSITION STARTERS RETURNING (7): Jessie Bailey Sammie Jo Bailey Ali Bainbridge Chelsea Bramlett Brittany Bell Courtney Nesbit Jessie Spain PITCHERS RETURNING (3): Misty Flesher Kelsey Nurnberg Elizabeth Woolven OTHER LETTERWINNERS RETURNING (1): Laurie Siebert NEWCOMERS (5): Lindsey Dunlap Brittany Gates Allie Heon Courtney Moore Ka ili Smith ILLINOIS (1) Laurie Siebert Sugar Grove TENNESSEE (1) Chelsea Bramlett Cordova FLORIDA (1) Brittany Bell Brandon IOWA (1) Kelsey Nurnberg Ankeny OKLAHOMA (1) Misty Flesher Lone Grove VIRGINIA (1) Allie Heon Leesburg PRONUNCIATION Allie Heon Allie HEE-ahn Laurie Siebert Laurie SEA-burt Ka'ili Smith Kuh-EE-LEE Smith ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Associate AD/Media & PR...Mike Nemeth Assistant AD/Media & PR... John R. Cade Assistant Directors... Joe Dier... Gregg Ellis...Joe Galbraith...Jay Middleton...Brock Turnipseed Graduate Assistant...Stephen Foshee Administrative Assistants...Anne Cooke (Bryan)...Diane Keith (Coliseum) Student Assistants... Jan Blaine...Jarvis Brown...Jamal Davis...Jonathan Eaton... Kalea Henry... Tray Littlefield...Arie Williams... Kurt Wirth...R.J. Zurak Mailing Address...Post Office Box Mississippi State, MS Overnight Address...55 Coliseum Blvd., Room Mississippi State, MS Media Relations Phone Media Relations Fax Press Box Phone Softball Media Relations Softball Contact...Brock Turnipseed... Mississippi State, 2001 Turnipseed s Office Turnipseed s Cell Address... bturnipseed@athletics.msstate.edu

3 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT JAY MILLER Mississippi State Head Coach 7th Season 27th Season Overall at Mississippi State Overall 2008 NFCA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE Became the school's winningest coach on Feb. 13, 2009, in a 4-3 win over Purdue at the Sunshine Classic in Tallahassee, Fla. Holds a (.564) mark in six seasons at Mississippi State Was named head coach of the United States Women's National Team on Mon., Feb. 16. Won his 900th career game with an 8-2 win over Syracuse on March 1, 2008, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Became the third Southeastern Conference to be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame during the association's national convention in December. Coached his 1,500th career game in the second game of a May 3rd doubleheader at Arkansas. Currently stands 12th on the NCAA Division I Winningest Active Coaches list. Guided the Bulldogs to six NCAA Regional berths in the last seven seasons, including three consecutive appearances from and back-to-back showings in 2007 and Guided the 2008 Bulldogs to the school's second ever 40-win season (41-22) and the school batting average record (.311). Has led MState to 30 or more victories in all six seasons. Has coached 32 All-American selections, including eight at MSU, three Conference Player of the Year Honorees, including two at MState. Tutored two SEC Freshman of the Year. Has coached 95 All-Conference recipients (16 at State) and 43 All-Region selections (13 at MSU). Seventy-one SEC Academic honorees have been selected under him, and five Bulldogs have been named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. Coached 45 players who have received NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors, including a school-record 10 in WINNINGEST COACH IN MSU SOFTBALL HISTORY USA WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH MILLERÊS COACHING CAREER 27th Season Overall (Seven at MSU) Season School W-L Pct Purdue Purdue Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri * Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri * Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Mississippi State Mississippi State Mississippi State Mississippi State Mississippi State Mississippi State Mississippi State Totals Yrs Record Pct. at Purdue at Oklahoma City at Missouri at Mississippi State Totals * - Conference Champions OKLAHOMA CITY ( ) 1986 NAIA National Runner-Up 1987 NAIA National Championships (4th) 1987 Southwest Region Coach of the Year 1986, 1987 District IX Coach of the Year MISSOURI ( ) 1990, 1991 Big Eight Coach of the Year 1991 Big Eight Champions Women s College World Series: 1991, 1994 NCAA Regionals: 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, , 1997 Midwest Region Coach of the Year 1997 Big 12 Champions 1997 Big 12 Tournament Champions 1997 Big 12 Coach of the Year MISSISSIPPI STATE (2003-Present) NCAA Regionals: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 The 2008 Bulldogs had a school-record 10 student-athletes named NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. State finished a program-best eighth among Division I schools on the Girls Got Game/NFCA All-Academic Team rankings. Led the United States Junior National Team to the gold medal at the 2007 Junior World Championship. Prior to coming to Mississippi State, Miller spent 15 seasons as Head Coach of Missouri, compiling a record. Miller led the Tigers to the NCAA Regionals five times, as well as trips to the Women's College World Series in 1991 and He was named the Big Eight Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991, as well at Big 12 Coach of the Year in While at Oklahoma City, Miller led OCU to a NAIA National Runner-Up finish in 1986, as well as a fourth place finish in He was named the Southwest Region Coach of the Year in 1987, and the District IX Coach of the Year both years. Mississippi State under Miller (since 2003) All Opponents At Home On Road Neutral Sites SEC SEC Home SEC Road SEC Neutral Non-Conference When Hitting Home Run Scoring In The First Inning Opponent Scores In First Inning Scoring 1-3 Runs Scoring 4-6 Runs Scoring 7-9 Runs Scoring 10+ Runs Shutouts Scoring First Opponent Scores First Leading After Three Trailing After Three Tied After Three Leading After Five Trailing After Five Tied After Five Collecting 1-3 Hits Collecting 4-6 Hits Collecting 7-9 Hits Collecting 10+ Hits Opponent Collects 1-3 Hits Opponent Collects 4-6 Hits Opponent Collects 7-9 Hits Opponent Collects 10+ Hits Outhitting Opponent Outhit By Opponent Hits Are The Same Leaving 1-3 Runners On Base Leaving 4-6 Runners On Base Leaving 7-9 Runners On Base Leaving 10+ Runners On Base Opp. Leaves 1-3 Runners On Base Opp. Leaves 4-6 Runners On Base Opp. Leaves 7-9 Runners On Base Opp. Leaves 10+ Runners On Base Turning Double Play Opponent Turns Double Play Committing No Errors Committing 1-2 Errors Committing 3-4 Errors Committing 5+ Errors One-Run Games Two-Run Games Decided In Final At-Bat (Incl. Home 6th) Extra Innings In Preconference Tournaments As Visiting Team As Home Team In Tournaments As Visiting Team As Home Team Opponents Ranked In Top Opponents Ranked February March April May

4 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT MISSISSIPPI STATE SOFTBALL MEDIA GUIDELINES ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE The Mississippi State Athletic Media Relations office is located in Room 202 (second floor) of the Humphrey Coliseum. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. In his first season with the Mississippi State softball team, Brock Turnipseed is the contact for both the Bulldog soccer and softball teams. He can be reached at or by cell phone at CREDENTIALS Requests for press/photo credentials should be faxed or mailed on official letterhead to the MSU Athletic Media Relations Office (FAX ) at least 48 hours prior to the event. Space is very limited, so accomodations are on a priority basis. Priority is granted to members of the media who cover MSU Softball on a regular basis, and to visiting media members. Credentials will be available for pickup in the MSU Softball Field pressbox. Only working media with proper credentials will be allowed access to the press and photo areas. Non-working individuals, including family members of the working media, will not be permitted in the working press area. PHOTO REGULATIONS Photo passes will be issued only to accredited photographers on assignment. Photographers may shoot from designated areas outside of the fences and on the field within the stadium. The MSU Athletic Department adheres to NCAA photography policies and reserves all commercial and non-commercial rights to use of film, videotape and still photographs of its athletes, athletic events and facilities. Following are general areas where photographers may setup from: 1. Outside of any facility barriers or fences. 2. First Base-line behind first base bag 3. Third Base-line behind third base bag 4. Dugouts (with permission from team) MSU SOFTBALL FIELD With its fully enclosed press box and four telephone lines that allows for faxing and website updates as well as radio and television broadcasting capabilities, the MSU Softball Field is an on-campus facility located on the corner of Lakeview Drive and U.S. 182 East. The press box telephone number is MEDIA SERVICES The MSU Athletic Media Relations office will provide a complete box score and play-by-play (upon request) of each game. Programs and note packages containing rosters and game notes on each team will also be provided to the working media. An automatic facsimile machine is available in the MSU Athletic Media Relations office in the Humphrey Coliseum, as well as the Bryan Building. INTERVIEW POLICY The Mississippi State softball team is scheduled to practice between 2 and 5:30 p.m. daily during the 2009 season. All practices are open to the general public. Members of the working media are invited to attend all practices at the MSU Softball Field. Interviews must be conducted before or after practice. Requests should be made 24 hours in advance to ensure availability through Brock Turnipseed in the Athletic Media Relations Office. POST-GAME INTERVIEWS Following a 10-minute cooling off period, head coach Jay Miller and/or requested players will be available on the playing surface of the MSU Softball Field. The opponent head coach and/or players will also be available on the field. Please make interview requests through the visiting softball contact. Media should submit post-game interview requests to athletic media relations personnel prior to the start of the seventh inning. MEDIA PARKING There are no designated areas for media parking at the MSU Softball Field. Generally, visiting media and other gameday personnel choose to park in the parking lot located behind the outfield fence of the facility. Wednesday's loss in Madison put a damper on a solid previous week in which the Bulldogs went 3-1 with a win over UAB and a series victory over No. 9 Tennessee. Against the Blazers and Lady Vols, junior Chelsea Bramlett continued her stellar 2009 campaign by hitting.583 (7-for-12) with six runs scored and a perfect 5-for-5 stolen bases. Bainbridge came up with big hits and clutch defensive plays in last week's three wins. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native hit.500 (6-for-12) over the four-game stretch, driving in six runs on a double and her fourth home run of the season. Dunlap enjoyed a stellar week in the circle, picking up all three of the team's wins. She allowed 12 runs (10 earned) on 18 hits with 12 strikeouts over 18 innings. She went the full seven innings twice, including Sunday's 10-6 series-clinching win over Tennessee. A GLANCE AT THE GATORS Ranked atop both the NFCA and USA Softball polls, Florida returns to Gainesville following a mid-week SEC sweep of Auburn. The pair of wins improved the Gators to 36-3 overall and 15-1 in the SEC. The Gators enter the week with the nation's third-highest batting average (.334) and top earned-run average (0.61) Florida hosts the Bulldogs hitting.334 as a team. UF has hit 58 doubles, eight triples, and 50 home runs while out-scoring opponents this season. Francesca Enea has hit at a.371 clip this season, and she leads the team in home runs (11) and RBI (48). Aja Paculba, a.378 hitter, tops the team in stolen bases with 20 in 23 attempts. The Gators' 1-2 punch of Stacey Nelson and Stephanie Brombacher have held opponents to a.159 batting average and just 33 runs (22 earned). Nelson has jumped out to a 20-3 start to the season, striking out 181 while surrendering 17 runs (nine earned). Brombacher is 16-0 with a 0.88 ERA and 126 K's. BULLDOGS VS. NO. 1 TEAMS Mississippi State has met the top-ranked team in the country four times previously, posting a 1-5 mark in games against No. 1 teams. The last time State met the nation's top-ranked team was in 2007 when Tennessee topped the national polls. The Bulldogs' lone win over a No. 1 squad came in 2002 when they handed Arizona a 7-1 loss at the Fiesta Bowl Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. BIG-TIME BAINBRIDGE Bainbridge's fourth home run came at the perfect time in Sunday's 10-6 win over Tennessee. She broke open a 6-6 tie in the sixth inning as she lined a 1-2 offering over the wall in center field that capped a five-run inning and put State up 9-6. It wasn't the first time that Bainbridge has scored the winning runs versus Tennessee. The Vestavia Hills, Ala., native clinched last season's 2-1 series-opening win over the Lady Vols with a walk-off base hit in the seventh inning that erased a 1-0 deficit. The Bulldogs had another Alabama sophomore come through with the game-winning RBI in the opening game as Jessie Spain's fifth-inning double broke up a 4-4 tie en route to the Bulldogs' 5-4 win. SEC HONORS Bainbridge's outstanding week earned her SEC Player of the Week honors, the first of her career and the first for a Bulldog since Bramlett earned the honor on Feb. 11, Dunlap's three wins in the circle garnered the league's freshman of the week honors for the Hueytown, Ala., native. Dunlap's recognition is the second for State in four weeks, as Ka'ili Smith received the distinction on March 9 following an all-tournament showing at the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament. THREE OVER TENNESSEE After snapping a 10-game losing streak to Tennessee in last season's 2-1 series-opening win, the Bulldogs have now won three of the last five meetings with the Lady Vols. The series triumph over UT was State's first over the Lady Vols since the 2001 campaign and its first over a top-10 team since the 2004 edition claimed a pair of wins over No. 10 Alabama. RACKING UP THE HITS The Bulldogs put together a 14-hit attack in Sunday's 10-6 win over Tennessee. That total is the most by State against an SEC opponent since April 22, 2007, when that team notched 15 against Georgia. ESPN.COM/USA SOFTBALL TOP 25 March 31, Record Pts. Pvs 1. Florida (18) Stanford (2) Washington Alabama UCLA Georgia Northwestern Arizona State Michigan Oklahoma Missouri California Tennessee Arizona Ohio State North Carolina LSU Massachusetts Louisville DePaul Texas A&M T22. Fresno State T22. Texas RV 24. Georgia Tech RV 25. Nevada RV Others Receiving Votes: Cal Poly (30), Florida State (29), Iowa (27), Nebraska (15), Florida Gulf Coast (11), ULL (10), Southern Illinois (8), Oklahoma State (5), Auburn (2), Tulsa 92), Northern Iowa (1). Dropped Out: Florida State, Iowa, Cal Poly USA TODAY/NFCA DIVISION I TOP 25 March 31, Record Pts. Pvs 1. Florida (28) Stanford (2) Washington Arizona State Alabama Georgia UCLA Northwestern Arizona Michigan Missouri Oklahoma Tennessee California North Carolina Louisville Ohio State LSU Texas A&M La.-Lafayette Florida State DePaul Massachusetts Southern Illinois Texas RV Others Receiving Votes: Cal Poly 37, Iowa 37, Fresno State 22, Nevada 19, Georgia Tech 17, UNLV 8, San Diego State 7, Creighton 7, Cal State Fullerton 7, Illinois 6, Mississippi State 4, Tulsa 3, Nebraska 1. Dropped Out: No. 24 Cal Poly

5 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT STARTING A NEW STREAK MState junior catcher Chelsea Bramlett had her hit streak halted at a career-long 16 games in the series opener with Arkansas on March 17. The hit streak passed the previous high of 15 she set last season from March 29-April 26. She immediately started a new streak in the next game, and she has now stretched that streak out to 10 games. Bramlett, who leads the team with a.509 batting average, has tallied a hit in all but three of the Bulldogs' 34 games this season. THE HITS KEEP COMIN' Not only has Bramlett reached base in all but three games this season, but she has multiple hits in 18 of 34 games. She has been held to a single hit just four times in her current 10-game hit streak. BRAMLETT AMONG LEADERS Bramlett has jumped out to another stellar year in Bramlett enters the week tops in the SEC in batting average (.505). She is the only player in the league hitting over.500 this season. The league leader in hits (56), Bramlett also found herself ranked among the best in the nation in the latest NCAA statistics. Bramlett is currently third nationally in batting average behind Re'Quincia Mack of Alabama A&M and Lauren Huddleston of Yale. She also stands second nationally in stolen bases with 1.06 per game, trailing only Alabama's Brittany Rogers who has a 1.07 pergame average. RUNNING FOR THE RECORD Bramlett also leads the conference in stolen bases with 36 in 41 attempts. She now has 128 stolen bases in 141 attempts, moving her just 13 steals behind the school's career record which was set by Iyhia McMichael from With 19 regular-season games remaining, she is also just 10 steals behind her single-season school record which she set as a freshman in 2007 and matched in Bramlett set a new single-game steals record earlier this season when she swiped five bases against Louisiana-Monroe. The new mark bettered the previous record of four that she set as a freshman (2007) against South Carolina. She matched her previous school record with four steals against Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 25. TOP OF THE HITTING CHART While she continues to pursue MSU's career stolen-base record, Bramlett broke through to the top of the career batting average list. Hitting.435 for her career, the Cordova, Tenn., native passed former four-time all-american Kellie Wilkerson ( ) for the lead. Bainbridge also made her first appearance on the career charts, coming in sixth in batting average (.341), eighth in slugging percentage (.462) and seventh in on-base percentage (.385). ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP 25 Bramlett has been named one of the 25 finalists for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award, the most prestigious award presented in NCAA Division I softball. One of 12 SEC players named to the initial top 50 watch list, she is now among seven league selections in the top 25. This is the second straight season that Bramlett has advanced to the top 25. She joins McMichael as the only Bulldogs to be named to the list. McMichael was a top-10 finalist in 2003 before making the final three the next season. PRESEASON ALL-SEC In addition to being named a top-25 selection for USA Softball Player of the Year, Bramlett also earned Preseason All-SEC honors from the league coaches for the second straight year. The junior was tabbed the team's catcher after taking first-team All-SEC accolades last season and second-team honors as a freshman in ESPN RECOGNITION Bramlett, a two-time all-american, was named ESPN Preseason First Team All-America catcher prior to the start of the campaign. Bramlett joined six other conference players on the two squads, and she was one of five named to the first team, while two others landed on the second team. SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS As of April 2 WESTERN DIVISION SEC Pct. ALL Pct. LSU Arkansas Alabama Auburn Ole Miss Mississippi State EASTERN DIVISION SEC Pct. ALL Pct. Florida Georgia Tennessee Kentucky South Carolina MILLER TO HEAD USA TEAM MState head coach Jay Miller received a great honor this season as he was named head coach of the United States Women's National Team. The Aurora, Ill., native has been involved with the USA Softball coaching ranks since 1992, and he becomes just the third head coach of the national team since the sport was added to the Olympic Program in Miller will coach the team for the quadrennium. TOP DAWG Miller added another accolade this season when he became the school's winningest softball coach on Feb. 13. Miller, who coached game No. 400 at MSU on March 7, claimed win No. 221 as the Bulldogs took a 4-3 walk-off win over then-no. 23 Purdue at the Sunshine Classic in Tallahassee, Fla. Miller, who passed former Bulldog coach Kathy Arendsen ( ) for the top spot, has compiled a mark in his six-plus seasons in Starkville. In his 27th season as a head coach, Miller boasts a ledger that ranks him 12th among active NCAA Division I coaches. MILLER ENSHRINED Miller's 2009 milestones come after a 2008 season that saw him reach the 900-win plateau and earn a spot in the NFCA Hall of Fame. Miller became the third Southeastern Conference coach to be inducted into the annals, joining LSU head coach Yvette Girouard and South Carolina's Joyce Compton. STELLAR DEFENSE This weekend's series with Florida features two of the nation's premier fielding teams. The Gators rank first in the SEC and fifth nationally with a.980 percentage, while State stands third in the league and sixth in the nation with a.975 mark. Florida is fielding at a.984 clip in league games, while the Bulldogs are fifth with a.969 mark. QUARTET OF ROUND-TRIPPERS Junior Jessie Bailey hit her fourth home run of the season in the seventh inning of State's 3-2 loss to Arkansas on March 18. The round-tripper gave her sole possession of the team lead until last Sunday when Bainbridge connected on her fourth home run of the year against Tennessee. The four home runs for Bailey and Bainbridge are season-highs for the duo. GRAND SLAM Bailey's first home run of the year was a grand slam against Louisiana-Monroe at the season-opening Bulldog Round-Robin. The grand slam was the second of the Lithonia, Ga., native's career, as she hit one against Georgia as a freshman. It was also the second straight year the Bulldogs hit a grand slam in the opening weekend of the season as Bramlett hit one against UC Riverside the opening weekend of Bailey's grand slam was the 13th in MState softball history. She is just the third Bulldog to hit two career grand slams. CAREER LEADERS Batting Average Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Kellie Wilkerson Keri McCallum Ali Bainbridge 2008-present Slugging Percentage Kellie Wilkerson Iyhia McMichael Courtney Bures Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Ali Bainbridge 2008-present On-Base Percentage Kellie Wilkerson Iyhia McMichael Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Ali Bainbridge 2008-present Runs Iyhia McMichael Hayle Guess Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Hits Keri McCallum Kellie Wilkerson Michelle Gates Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Doubles Kellie Wilkerson Michelle Gates Courtney Bures Triples Keri McCallum Iyhia McMichael Michelle Gates Home Runs Kellie Wilkerson Hayle Guess Katie Cooley Michelle Gates t7. 14 Sammie Jo Bailey 2006-present Runs Batted In Courtney Bures Iyhia McMichael Michelle Gates Total Bases Kellie Wilkerson Iyhia McMichael Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Walks Kellie Wilkerson Iyhia McMichael Katie Cooley Intentional Walks Kellie Wilkerson Courtney Bures Iyhia McMichael Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Hit By Pitch Keri McCallum t4. 14 Brittany Bell 2008-present Nakita Boyce Stolen Bases Iyhia McMichael Chelsea Bramlett 2007-present Keri McCallum Wins Melissa Massey Autumn Anderson Kelsey Nurnberg 2007-present Lowest ERA (Min. 135 IP) Kim Davis Autumn Anderson Misty Flesher 2008-present Lowest Opponent Batting Average Kellie Wilkerson Autumn Anderson Misty Flesher 2008-present

6 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT BULLDOGS IN THE SEC RANKINGS (Through April 1) TEAM STATISTICS (ALL GAMES) Category Rank Batting Average 5th (.286) Slugging Percentage 7th (.401) On-Base Percentage 7th (.357) Runs Scored 7th (151) Hits 4th (255) RBI 7th (132) Doubles 8th (41) Triples T4th (8) Home Runs 9th (15) Total Bases 7th (357) At-Bats 5th (891) Walks 10th (77) Hit By Pitch 5th (27) Sacrifice Bunts 4th (31) Sacrifice Flies T3rd (10) Stolen Bases 4th (62) Earned-Run Average 11th (376) Opponent Batting Average 11th (.280) Strikeouts 9th (165) Fielding Percentage 3rd (.975) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS (ALL GAMES) Category Player Rank Batting Avg. Chelsea Bramlett 1st (.505) On-Base % Chelsea Bramlett 4th (.543) Runs Scored Chelsea Bramlett 9th (33) Hits Chelsea Bramlett 1st (56) RBI Ali Bainbridge 11th (28) Triples Ka'ili Smith T1st (4) Hit By Pitch Courtney Moore T4th (6) Sacrifice Bunts Ali Bainbridge 3rd (9) Sacrifice Flies Chelsea Bramlett T3rd (3) Stolen Bases Chelsea Bramlett 1st (36) Strikeouts Lindsey Dunlap 10th (95) TEAM STATISTICS (SEC GAMES) Category Rank Batting Average 9th (.240) Slugging Percentage 9th (.303) On-Base Percentage 9th (.328) Runs Scored 10th (34) Hits 8th (73) RBI T10th (26) Doubles T10th (6) Triples 8th (2) Home Runs 10th (3) Total Bases T10th (92) At-Bats 6th (304) Walks T7th (30) Hit By Pitch 5th (10) Sacrifice Bunts 3rd (14) Stolen Bases 5th (14) Earned-Run Average 10th (4.96) Strikeouts 10th (47) Fielding Percentage 5th (.969) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS (SEC GAMES) Category Player Rank Batting Avg. Chelsea Bramlett 6th (.436) On-Base % Chelsea Bramlett 5th (.522) Hits Chelsea Bramlett T5th (17) Triples Ka'ili Smith T4th (1) Chelsea Bramlett T4th (1) Hit By Pitch Jessie Spain T5th (3) Sacrifice Bunts Ali Bainbridge T1st (5) Stolen Bases Chelsea Bramlett T4th (5) Strikeouts Lindsey Dunlap 10th (33) GOING YARD Entering this week, MState has hit 15 home runs, pushing it seven shy of reaching the 22 total round-trippers hit by the 2008 squad. Bainbridge and Jessie Bailey lead the team with four home runs each. Freshman Courtney Moore added her third home run on the year against the Lady Vols on Sunday, while another Courtney sophomore Courtney Nesbit has left the ball park twice. Brittany Bell hit her first of the season in State's win over Hawaii. The Bulldogs hit three home runs against Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 25, tying for the second-most in school history. It was the most four-baggers in a game since Feb. 23, 2007, against Seton Hall. The series-clinching win over UT on Sunday was State's fourth multiple-home run game of the year. State's four games with multiple round-trippers match the 2007 squad for the most in a season since the 2005 edition. HIT PARADE In Sunday's 10-6 win over Tennessee, the Maroon and White pounded out 14 hits, the eighth time this season that the Bulldogs have collected 10 or more hits in a game. State's top hits tally of the campaign came in a 12-5 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Feb. 8. The Bulldogs put together 20 hits in that game, a total that ranks as the second-most in school history. The mark falls a single hit shy of the school record set by the 1997 squad against Alabama State. TAKING TWO The Bulldogs have hit 40 doubles so far this season, with five coming in Hawaii during the win over the host team. The five two-baggers in the game tied for the second-most in single-game school history. MState set the single-game record (six) earlier in the season against Louisiana-Monroe in the final game of the Bulldog Round-Robin (Feb. 7). HAPPY HOMECOMING Freshman Ka'ili Smith made her first collegiate trip back to her home state four weeks ago, and the Kapolei, Hawaii, native came back with all-tournament honors and SEC Freshman of the Week accolades. CATCHING FIRE Smith has caught fire since her trek back home. In the first 14 games prior to the Hawaii trip, Smith was hitting.237. Since returning from her home state, however, she is hitting at a.308 clip with a double, triple, 8 RBI and three runs scored. ALL-TOURNEY HONORS Smith's stellar play in her return home snagged her all-tournament honors at the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament along with Bramlett, who was a unanimous choice for the team. The preseason honor was her third all-tournament award of the season after being named to the squads at the Bulldog Classic and Bulldog Round-Robin. BIG INNING LEADS TO WIN A 10-run third inning keyed State's win over the Rainbow Wahine. The 10-run frame was the most runs in an inning for MSU since Feb. 23, 2007, when it scored 10 against Seton Hall. The Maroon and White's 14 runs in the game are the most scored in a game this season and the most since last March when State scored 19 in a win over Charleston Southern. HEADING BACK TO THE "SUNSHINE STATE" Sophomore Brittany Bell is hoping her second collegiate trip back to her home state is as good as the first one was. State's Feb trip to Tallahassee for the Sunshine Classic was Bell's first chance to play college softball in her home state, and she highlighted her homecoming by scoring the winning run against Florida State as the Bulldogs went perfect on the weekend and opened an eightgame win streak. STUDIOUS SAMMIE JO Sammie Jo Bailey can be considered the epitome of a student-athlete. In addition to a stellar on-field career, she has been sensational in the classroom as well. Bailey recently was named Mississippi State's female nominee for the SEC's prestigious H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship. Bailey was recently named Mississippi State's Newsome Award winner for softball for the third time, an award given to the top student in each varsity athletic program. An active member of the M-Club organization, Bailey has also been MState's recipient of the Halbrook Award, given to the highest GPA of all female student-athletes, three times as well. This past week Sammie Jo was offered an internship opportunity at ESPN. HEADING TO THE WORLDWIDE LEADER Many student-athletes would love the chance to work for ESPN, and Sammie Jo Bailey is receiving that opportunity this summer. The Lithonia, Ga., native accepted an internship with the "Worldwide Leader" this past week, and she will make the trek to Bristol, Conn., at the end of the season. SISTERS ON THE LEFT SIDE For two-plus seasons, Sammie Jo and Jessie Bailey have played opposite corners of the infield from each other. During the Bulldogs' trip to Hawaii, the sisters from Lithonia, Ga., filled the left side of the infield. Sammie Jo made the move to third base, the first time she played the "hot corner" since her freshman season (2006). Jessie played short for the first time in her career after manning third her first two years. The two held down the left side until March 15 in Tuscaloosa when Sammie Jo moved back to first and Jessie rotated back to third. ANOTHER SISTER ACT Although the Bailey sisters will no longer take the field together after this season, State will have another set of sisters from Georgia taking the field together. Erin Nesbit, sister of sophomore Courtney Nesbit, signed to play with State next season. Courtney is enjoying a solid year, hitting.232 with six doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored. In addition to Nesbit, State also signed Jessica Cooley, sister of former Dog outfielder Katie Cooley ( ); Stephanie Becker (Aurora, Ill.); Shelby Fisher (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Kylie Vry (Des Moines, Iowa). DUNLAP SETS FRESHMAN RECORD Dunlap opened her collegiate career with five straight victories, a mark which rates as the best start ever in the circle by a Bulldog freshman. Her streak bettered the previous high of four set by Misty Flesher in Dunlap had her season-opening win streak halted on Feb. 27 against Ohio State at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Heading into last week she had dropped nine of her last 10 decisions, but she rallied to win three straight and improve her season tally to 9-9 before dropping Wednesday night's decision

7 7-TIME NCAA REGIONAL PARTICIPANT MSU's Record in 2009 When... All Opponents At Home On Road Neutral Sites When Hitting Home Run Scoring In The First Inning Opponent Scores In First Inning Scoring 1-3 Runs Scoring 4-6 Runs Scoring 7-9 Runs Scoring 10+ Runs Shutouts Scoring First Opponent Scores First Leading After Three Trailing After Three Tied After Three Leading After Five Trailing After Five Tied After Five Collecting 1-3 Hits Collecting 4-6 Hits Collecting 7-9 Hits Collecting 10+ Hits Opponent Collects 1-3 Hits Opponent Collects 4-6 Hits Opponent Collects 7-9 Hits Opponent Collects 10+ Hits Outhitting Opponent Outhit By Opponent Hits Are The Same Leaving 1-3 Runners On Base Leaving 4-6 Runners On Base Leaving 7-9 Runners On Base Leaving 10+ Runners On Base Oppt. Leaves 1-3 Runners On Base Oppt. Leaves 4-6 Runners On Base Oppt. Leaves 7-9 Runners On Base Oppt. Leaves 10+ Runners On Base Turning Double Play Opponent Turns Double Play Committing No Errors Committing 1-2 Errors Committing 3-4 Errors Committing 5+ Errors One-Run Games Two-Run Games Decided In Final At-Bat (Incl. Home 6th) Extra Innings In Tournaments As Visiting Team As Home Team SEC Home SEC Road Opponents Ranked In Top Opponents Ranked Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday February March April May In Alabama In Arkansas In Florida In Georgia In Hawaii In Kentucky In Mississippi In Tennessee STARTERS BY DEFENSIVE POSITION Date Opponent C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF DP 2/6 Kennesaw Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/7 La.-Monroe Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/7 Iona Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/8 La.-Monroe Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/11 USM Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/13 Purdue Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/14 Miami (OH) Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/15 Florida St. Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/20 Rutgers Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/21 Evansville Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/21 SIUE Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/22 SIUE Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/25 MVSU Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 2/27 Ohio State Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/5 FGCU Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/5 Santa Clara Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge Heon J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/6 Oregon St. Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Heon Moore 3/6 Hawaii Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge Heon J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/7 Mt. St. Mary Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/8 Radford Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/14 Alabama Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/14 Alabama Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/15 Alabama Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Nesbit 3/17 Arkansas Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/17 Arkansas Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge J. Bailey Heon Smith Gates Bell S. Bailey 3/18 Arkansas Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/21 LSU Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/21 LSU Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/22 LSU Bramlett Nesbit Bainbridge S. Bailey J. Bailey Smith Bell Gates Moore 3/24 UAB Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/28 Tennessee Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/28 Tennessee Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 3/29 Tennessee Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore 4/1 Ole Miss Bramlett S. Bailey Bainbridge J. Bailey Spain Smith Gates Bell Moore MSU STARTING LINEUPS P: Nurnberg 16, Dunlap 14, Woolven 2, Flesher 2 C: Bramlett 34 1B: Nesbit 17, S. Bailey 17 2B: Bainbridge 34 3B: J. Bailey 22, S. Bailey 10, Heon 2 SS: Spain 13, J. Bailey 12, Heon 9 LF: Smith 34 CF: Gates 33, Bell 1 RF: Bell 32, Heon 1, Gates 1 DP: Moore 32, Nesbit 1, S. Bailey 1 BY DEFENSIVE POSITION