Michigan State University
Iowa
Spartans Suffer Doubleheader Sweep At Iowa
4/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 15, 2007
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Michigan State softball team (20-21, 0-6 Big Ten) suffered its second series sweep of the weekend on Sunday, falling in both sides of a doubleheader at Iowa (30-17, 6-4 Big Ten). The Hawkeyes won by scores of 6-2 and 7-2.
Junior pitcher Lesley Noel tossed 5.0 innings in the circle, allowing seven hits and two earned runs in game one versus the Hawkeyes. Senior reliever Rachel Turney allowed three hits and four earned runs in 1.0 innings of work, falling to 6-9 for the year.
Hawkeye pitcher Brittany Weil allowed four hits and two earned runs, improving to 12-4 on the year in the complete-game effort.
Nikki Nicosia led the Spartans at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, adding one run and two RBI on her second home run of weekend action. First baseman Dayna Feenstra and right fielder Nicole Mercado each contributed one hit for the Green and White.
The Hawkeyes scored one run in the first and extended their lead to 2-0 with one run in the fifth, while Weil allowed just one Spartan hit during the stretch. State evened the score at 2-2 in the top of the sixth behind a single by Mercado and two-run homer by Nikki Nicosia. The blast was her second of the year.
Turney relieved Noel in the bottom half of the frame looking to hold the Spartan momentum, but Iowa exploded for four runs on three hits to put the game out of reach with a commanding 6-2 upperhand.
MSU scored two runs on four hits, while the Hawkeye managed six runs on 10 hits in the victory.
Sophomore Megan Hair made the start in the circle for the Spartans in game two, allowing a lead off home run to Erin Riemersma, as she faced just one batter in the game. Noel (4-4) tossed 7.0 innings in relief, where she gave up nine hits and four earned runs.
Pitcher Amanda Zust started for the Hawkeyes, allowing just four hits in 3.0 innings, while Weil (13-4) earned her second win of the day, allowing just one hit in 3.2 innings of relief.
Traci Nicosia led MSU with two hits and one RBI in game two, while Jessica LeFevre, Kara Weigle and Feenstra each contributed one hit. Shortstop Meghan Darhower drew a season high three walks in the loss.
Iowa took an early 1-0 edge behind Riemersma's blast, but Michigan State responded with two runs in the bottom half of the third for a 2-1 advantage. Nikki Nicosia scored on a sacrifice fly by sister Traci, and LeFevre scored MSU's second run of the frame on a throwing error by the Hawkeye catcher.
Iowa managed one run in the fourth and took a 4-2 lead in the sixth as the result of three Spartan errors in the field. The Hawkeyes tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh, and Weil held MSU to just two baserunners the final three innings of play to close the 7-2 victory.
State scored two runs on five hits, while the Hawkeyes tallied seven runs on 10 hits in the contest. MSU committed three errors in the field, compared to two miscues by the Hawkeye defense.
Michigan State will host IPFW in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 18 beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Old College Field.
