MSU’s Wesley Throws No-Hitter In 4-0 Win
OXFORD, Miss. – Headed into the weekend, No. 23 Mississippi State’s pitching staff has been excellent. They ranked in the top 15 nationally in ERA, FIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio, WHIP, walks, and walk rate in the circle and, after Saturday, three pitchers have thrown no-hitters.
Aspen Wesley joined Josey Marron and Mata Faapito after holding Ole Miss hitless in a 4-0 game Saturday afternoon. It was her first no-hitter in her collegiate career and is the first time Mississippi State has had three pitchers throw no-hitters since 2006.
“I feel like that’s so surreal. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to throw a no-hitter, especially in my home state,” Wesley, who is from Philadelphia, Miss., said after the game. “This is literally what I’ve worked for my whole life, and I remember when Josey [Marron] and Mata [Faapito] threw their no-hitters, I was so happy for them and their biggest cheerleader.”
Wesley (6-1) allowed just three walks while striking out a career-high nine batters. She has a 1.45 ERA with a team-high 43 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched this inning and is holding opponents to a .173 batting average.
“Aspen was just in complete control from the beginning,” MSU coach Samantha Ricketts said.
But Wesley needed help from her defense to keep the Lady Rebels hitless and “Easy Company” came up with big catches every time they were needed. The Bulldogs’ outfielders, who associate head coach Tyler Bratton has nicknamed “Easy Company” because of how easy their play has appeared this season, made a pair of diving catches Saturday to help their pitcher.
In the bottom of the third inning, Brylie St. Clair made a diving catch in shallow left field to end the inning.
In the next inning, with two outs and a full count at-the plate, Lady Rebels’ Jamie Mackay hit a short fly ball to right field, where Paige Cook made a diving catch to end the inning.
“It shows the mentality of our outfield and the pride that they take in keeping balls from falling and having their pitchers’ backs,” Ricketts said. “I think it's contagious. They see one do it, and they want to go all out.”
MSU’s offense propelled the Bulldogs to an early lead to help Wesley and the defense. Nadia Barbary scored on a fielder’s choice in the top of the first inning and Salen Hawkins drove in Kylee Edwards on a sacrifice fly in the second inning to put MSU up 2-0.
The slim lead is all Wesley would need, but the Bulldogs’ offense padded the lead with two more runs in the fourth inning.
Leading off the fourth inning, Madisyn Kennedy hit her fifth home run of the season on after fouling off five pitches on a 3-2 count. Hawkins drove in her second run of the day on a double down the third base line and put MSU up 4-0.
The Bulldogs wrap up their SEC opening series against Ole Miss on Sunday in Oxford. The game will be televised nationally on SEC Network, starting at 3 p.m.