Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Saint Joseph's
Softball Sweeps Saint Joseph's in Doubleheader
3/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 5, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Michigan State softball (6-9) snapped a nine-game winless streak and gave head coach Jacquie Joseph her 450th and 451st wins Wednesday with a two-game sweep of Saint Joseph's on Wednesday afternoon. In her 15 years at MSU, Joseph is the winningest softball coach in school history. Overall, Joseph has been coaching for 20 years and has totaled 587 career victories.
"I would like to quote the great Jud Heathcote, `You know what they say about milestones - it just means you're old,'" Joseph joked after the game.
Game one began on Tuesday, March 4 - when the doubleheader was originally scheduled - but heavy rains in the bottom of the second inning caused delays and an ultimate halt of action. The Spartans led the Hawks 5-1, as Caitlin Mahoney, Kristen Aiem and Gina Mondo drove in runs, with two outs and bases loaded when the gamed was called.
Action resumed Wednesday at 1 p.m., as Saint Joseph's closed out the inning without allowing MSU to extend its considerable lead. Megan Hair took the mound, replacing Shae Bass who started on Tuesday and would ultimately go down as the pitcher of record, and pitched four innings for MSU. Hair recorded five strikeouts on 17 at bats.
The Spartans continued to hit well through the final five innings, tacking on insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 7-3 lead, after giving up two runs to the Hawks in the third inning.
Saint Joseph's gave MSU a brief scare in the top of the seventh, posting two runs before Lesley Noel took the rubber with no outs. A double play preceded Noel's game-ending strike out as the Spartans wrapped up the game 7-5.
In game two, Michigan State went to work first by earning two runs in the second inning and another in the third to take a 3-1 advantage. But the Hawks continued to battle, and evened the score at 3-3 with a strong bottom-of-the-third performance at the plate. The Spartans too retaliated with a run in the fourth - ultimately the game winner. With two outs, Nikki Nicosia tripled to left center field, then used her speed to steal home on a wild pitch on Aidem's at bat. The 4-3 margin proved to be the final.
The Spartans open the USF/Under Armour Invitational Thursday, March 4 at 9:30 a.m., when they take on East Tennessee State at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla. Live stats will be avaible at www.msuspartans.com.
