Michigan State University
Georgetown
Softball Splits At Final Day Of Tar Heel Invitational
3/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 8, 2009
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Michigan State softball team split its final two games at the Tar Heel Invitational Sunday afternoon (March 8). The Spartans started the day with a 7-2 win over Georgetown, and fell, 8-7, in eight innings to Elon, despite a seven-run comeback in the seventh. Senior Gina Mondo led the team with four RBIs in the two games and sophomore Lindsey Hansen recorded three RBIs, with both players notching home runs.
The Spartans (8-8) started off strong in the first inning against Georgetown, scoring two runs on two hits. Leadoff batter Jessica Bracamonte reached base on an illegal pitch, and advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt by senior Kara Weigle. Sophomore Lindsey Hansen, the Spartans' third batter, hit a homer to left field, her team-leading sixth this season.
Senior Megan Hair started in the circle for MSU, retiring the first three batters she faced. She continued her success, holding Georgetown (2-11) without a run through five innings.
MSU opened the third inning with Weigle notching a double down the left-field line and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Hansen recorded her second hit of the game, notching a single to right field and scoring Weigle. Senior Gina Mondo then hit a double to left field, sending Hansen home. Sophomore Heidi Purtzer hit a double to left center, advancing Mondo to third, and freshman Ali Grant was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Georgetown pitcher Mackensey Carter retired the final two Spartan batters to end the inning and strand three runners.
The Spartans added three more runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 7-0, beginning with Kramer hitting a single to left field. Mondo then reached on a fielder's choice and Kramer advanced to second. Hair came in to pinch run for Kramer, and sophomore Heidi Purtzer hit a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. MSU continued with Grant reaching on an error to load the bases and went to second, scoring Hair and Mondo. Freshman Melanie Bensema also reached on an error and Grant headed to third. Bracamonte continued the success, registering a single up the middle, rounding to second on the throw and scoring Grant before Bensema was tagged out at third.
Georgetown broke onto the scoreboard in the sixth, scoring two runs on one hit.
Kramer took over for Hair in the seventh, retiring three batters to secure the win for MSU.
Hansen led the Spartans against the Hoyas, recording two hits, two runs and three RBIs.
MSU started out slow in the second game against Elon, going scoreless through the first six innings.
Elon (5-8) began the game with one run in the first, added five more in the fifth inning and one in the seventh to hold a 7-0 lead. The game seemed out of reach, but a seven-run Spartan rally in the bottom of the seventh tied the game.
Kramer started the seventh with a single up the middle and Mondo homered to left center, her second of the season, to begin the comeback. Purtzer then singled to left field and Grant singled up the middle. Bensema doubled to right field, scoring Purtzer.
Elon pitcher Pam DelPizzo replaced Melanie Helterbran after Bensema's hit. The pitching change didn't faze freshman Lori Padilla as she singled up the middle to score Grant without and out. Weigle then doubled to center field, scoring Bensema.
MSU returned to the top of the lineup with Kramer hitting a single to left field, sending Padilla across the plate and pulling within one run. Mondo ended the inning, notching the game-tying RBI with a single to right field, scoring Weigle.
Elon struck first in extra innings with a sacrifice bunt from Caitlin McGowan to advance DelPizzo to third. A single to right field from Danielle Lafferty scored DelPizzo as Elon took the 8-7 lead.
Grant opened the eighth with a sacrifice punt to advance Purtzer to third, but was unable to cross the plate with Elon pitcher DelPizzo notching back-to-back outs to claim the win.
Junior Kelly Confer pitched the first five innings for MSU, recording three strikeouts. Kramer took over for the final three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two.
Seniors Gina Mondo and Megan Hair and freshman Lauren Kramer were named to the Tar Heel Invitational All-Tournament team.
The Spartans travel to Raleigh, N.C., for a doubleheader with NC State on Tuesday, March 10, beginning at 4 p.m.
