STARKVILLE, Miss. — With a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, Mississippi State got a three-run home run from first baseman Sam Lenahan, and Central Arkansas loaded the bases in the seventh but could not cut into the Bulldog lead as MSU remained perfect on the season with a 6-0 win over the Bears.

The Bears (3-8) loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with a walk from Taylor Dear, a Briana Whisenhunt single and Ashley Boswell walk with no outs, but the Bulldogs (11-0) got a double play and finished the game by retiring Hayley Parker on a line drive to first base.

Whisenhunt and Dear recorded UCA's only hits, and the Bears coaxed four walks off three MSU pitchers, with Boswell drawing two and both Dear and catcher Jessie Taylor walking once. Amy Gunnells reached base twice – once on a sharply hit ball to shortstop ruled an error, and once via fielder's choice.

No UCA batter struck out during the game against an MSU pitching staff that came in averaging 9.2 per game. UCA pitchers Kayla Gomness and Kylee Studioso struck out three Bulldogs, with Gomness fanning two in 4.2 innings and Studioso one in 1.1. Studioso gave up one hit and allowed no walks in her relief appearance. Taylor threw out a pair of MSU base runners on stolen base attempts.

The win was the fifth of the season for the Bulldogs, who received votes in this week's USA Softball/ESPN.com poll and improve to 6-0 at home as they've tied the second-best start in program history.

After playing their first 11 games of the season on the road, the Bears make their Farris Field debut this weekend with four games in the Central Arkansas Invitational. The Bears open Friday against Alabama State, follow with Drexel on Saturday and finish with Western Illinois and South Dakota State on Sunday. They'll then play a midweek doubleheader at home on Wednesday, Feb. 26 against UAPB.