Michigan State University
Chattanooga
Spartans Sweep Day Two At USF-Adidas Invitational
3/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 10, 2007
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Michigan State softball team (11-8) defeated Mercer, 9-1 (6) and added a 7-1 victory over Chattanooga at day two of the USF-Adidas Invitational at the EC Moore Complex on Friday. Sophomore pitcher Megan Hair (4-4) earned the victory against the Bears, while junior Lesley Noel (2-0) led the Spartans in the circle in the victory over Chattanooga.
Hair earned her fourth victory of the season against Mercer, allowing five hits, while striking out five in 4.2 innings in the circle. Junior Lesley Noel made her team-leading 11th appearance of the year, earning her third save in 1.1 innings of relief.
Sophomore catcher Kara Weigle led the Spartans in game one at the plate, posting two hits and three RBI, while senior shortstop Meghan Darhower went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI. Third baseman Caitlin Mahoney and right fielder Kelly Confer each contributed one double and one run for the Spartan offense.
State scored four runs in the fourth, sparked by a leadoff double from Mahoney and single from first baseman Dayna Feenstra. Mahoney scored on a single by Traci Nicosia, and Darhower hit a two-run single to give the Spartans a 3-0 edge. Confer followed with her first double of the season to score Darhower for a 4-0 MSU upperhand.
In the fifth, junior Jessica LeFevre singled, stole second and crossed the plate on a single by Weigle to push the Spartan lead to 5-0. Mercer scored one in the bottom half of the frame, but State tallied four runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach with a 9-1 advantage. Noel downed the side in order in the bottom half of the inning to secure the Spartan victory.
Noel (2-0) made her first start of the season in the victory over Chattanooga, allowing six hits and one earned run in the complete-game effort.
Center fielder Nikki Nicosia and Feenstra led the Spartans with two hits each versus the Lady Mocs, while Weigle and Mahoney each contributed two runs in the nightcap victory. Traci Nicosia tallied one double and a season-high four RBI, and Darhower and Confer each added one hit for the Green and White.
With the game tied at 1-1, Michigan State scored three runs in the fifth behind a two-run double from Feenstra for a 4-1 advantage. Neither team managed a run until the top half of the seventh, when Weigle reached on an error by the Lady Mocs shortstop, and Mahoney and Feenstra posted consecutive singles to load the bases for Traci Nicosia. Nicosia hit a bases-clearning double to right center for the deciding 7-1 Spartan advantage.
Michigan State continues play at the USF-Adidas Invitational on Saturday against NC State at 1 p.m. Following the conclusion of pool play, tournament playoffs will begin at 4 p.m.
