Michigan State University
Harvard
Green And White Softball Takes Second At Plant City Tournament
3/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 5, 2006
PLANT CITY, Fla. -
Michigan State vs. Harvard Final Stats
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Michigan State vs. Buffalo Final StatsDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Final Tournament StandingsDownload Free Acrobat Reader
The Michigan State softball team (7-3) concluded tournament play at the Plant City Tournament on Sunday with victories over Harvard and Buffalo. Freshman hurler Megan Hair recorded her second victory of the season with a 5-0 shutout victory vs. Harvard, while Rachel Turney led State to a 5-1 win over Buffalo. Nicole Mercado led the way for MSU vs. the Crimson, recording three hits including her first career home run, while first baseman Dayna Feenstra tallied two home runs and five RBI vs. the Bills, improving her season average to .310 at the plate.
Facing Harvard in the first match-up of the day, State struck early when Mercado smashed her first career home run over the right field fence, giving MSU an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Hair held the Crimson bats silent, allowing just one hit through the first three innings of play.
The Spartan offense added three more runs to the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning when after consecutive singles by centerfielder Nikki Nicosia and Mercado, Traci Nicosia would record her first sacrifice bunt of the season, advancing the runners to second and third. Spartan catcher Caitlin Mahoney would draw her first walk of the day, however a wild pitch by the Crimson would score Nicosia. Feenstra would follow with an RBI-single scoring Mercado from third. Meghan Darhower would bring home State's final run of the inning, scoring Mahoney on a single to center field.
Lesley Noel would pitch the final 1.2 innings, allowing no hits, garnering her first save of the season. Hair finished the contest allowing just two hits, and no runs, recording her second win of the year. Darhower and both Traci and Nikki Nicosia recorded two hits each vs. Harvard, while Mercado added three hits and two runs in the 5-0 shutout victory.
Rachel Turney took the mound for MSU in game two of the day vs. Buffalo, where MSU would post a three-run fourth inning behind Feenstra's first home run of the 2006 season. Traci Nicosia would reach first on an error by the Bills' shortstop, followed by a Mahoney double to place runners on second and third for Feenstra's three-run smash. Buffalo would add one run in the bottom of the fourth after a Spartan error in the infield, however MSU would extend its lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth, when Feenstra recorded her fourth RBI of the day, again scoring Mercado from third.
State was held scoreless in the top of the sixth, however the Bills would start the bottom half of the inning with consecutive singles, forcing Spartan head coach Jacquie Joseph to relieve Turney, as Noel would again take the mound looking for her second save of the afternoon.
Feenstra would smash a two-out home run, her second of the day, in the top of the seventh, extending the Spartan lead to 5-1. Noel would down the side in the bottom of the seventh, as MSU captured its second victory of the afternoon.
"I thought all three components of our game - pitching, offense and defense - really came together today," Joseph said. "I am very happy with our effort against Harvard and Buffalo and look forward to getting back on the field Tuesday against Toledo."
Feenstra led all hitters with a 3-5 effort at the plate, including two home runs, six RBI and two walks on the day. Mahoney added three RBI and one run, while Nikki Nicosia, and Darhower each tallied three hits for the Spartan offense.
Illinois State took the Plant City Tournament title, while Michigan State and Buffalo finished second and third respectively.
Michigan State returns to action Tuesday, March 7, vs. Toledo in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. from the Randy Larson Four Plex main stadium site in Plant City.
