Softball Falls to No. 20 Ohio State, 7-3

April 18, 2010

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team (18-21, 4-6 Big Ten) closed out its weekend series against No. 20 Ohio State today (April 18) with a 7-3 loss to the Buckeyes at Old College Field. With the loss, MSU falls to 4-4 in home games this season. Freshman Kylene Hopkins capped off a stellar weekend at the plate against Ohio State with two more hits and another run and RBI. Hopkins ended the weekend series going 4-of-8 with two runs and three RBIs.

"I liked us in the sense I thought that we played good defense in both games this weekend," said head coach Jacquie Joseph. "We missed pitches that turned into home runs all weekend long, and the pitchers need to understand that they can't miss like that when you play a great team. I thought we competed, but they (Ohio State) are a better team and we got beat."

With the Spartans leading 2-1 in the top of the third, OSU jumped on the Green and White with a four-run inning to gain the 5-2 advantage over MSU. Dee Dee Hilman got the scoring started with a single to drive in Rebecca Schultz from second. However, it was a three-run blast from Alicia Herron that put the Buckeyes over the top, bringing in Whitney Cooper and Hilman.

Michigan State struck first offensively in the bottom of the opening frame when junior Jessica Bracamonte tripled to score freshman Kylene Hopkins who reach base on a single. Bracamonte wound up crossing the plate when sophomore Lauren Kramer hit the ball to the third baseman who was unable to successfully apply the tag on Bracamonte, allowing Kramer to reach first on a fielder's choice. The Spartans wound up leading OSU at the end of the inning, 2-0.

Ohio State cut the Spartan lead in half with a run itself in the top of the third. Sam Marder got the Buckeyes on the board for the first time in the game with a solo homer to left center, making the score to 2-1.

OSU posted a run in both the fourth and fifth inning to put the game out of reach of the Spartans. Brittany Goodchild hit a triple in the fourth to drive in Schultz from first, and in the fifth, Marder hit a sacrifice fly to Bracamonte in center to push across Cooper from third.

MSU scored its final run of the game in the fourth inning when Hopkins hit a single to drive in sophomore Ali Grant.

Meagan Miller earned her 10th win of the season for OSU in four innings pitched. Melanie Nichols, who earned the win in the game yesterday over the Spartans, pitched her first-career save. Senior Kelly Confer took the loss in three innings of work.

"If you look at your opponent and realize they are better on paper, to play straight up does not make sense. To play straight up, we are not going to beat them. We had to push the envelope against Ohio State," said Joseph on the team's aggressiveness on the base paths.

The Green and White will remain at home for a mid-week doubleheader against Northwestern on Wednesday, April 21. The first game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with the second game to follow at 6:30 p.m.