Softball's Unable to Rally At Iowa, Falls 5-3

April 9, 2011

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team (20-16, 2-5 Big Ten) was unable to rally at Iowa on Saturday, April 9 in its first game of a two-game series in Iowa City, Iowa, falling 5-3. Junior Ali Grant was the top Spartan at the plate as she went 2-for-3 on the day.

MSU was the first team on the board in the first inning. Senior Jessica Bracamonte led off the inning with a lead-off walk before finally advancing home on a passed ball. Bracamonte's run game the Spartans a 1-0 lead.

The Hawkeyes responded in the bottom half of the first with four runs. Liz Watkins singled to right to drive home the first two runs in Ashley Akers and Katie Keim. The final pair occurred after Nikki Gentile reached on a fielding error by the MSU second baseman to bring across Watkins and Brianna Luna as unearned runs.

Iowa tacked on an additional run in the second when Johnnie Dowling tripled to right center to score Keim from first. Keim's run gave the Hawkeyes a 5-1 lead at the end of two.

Junior Brett Williams knocked in the final two Spartan runs in the top of the third with a two-run home run to left field. Williams' 10th homer of the season also scored senior Lindsey Hansen, who reached base on a walk.

Kayla Massey improved her record to 10-5 overall in with her complete-game win. Massey tallied three strikeouts against four walks. Massey allowed three runs, one unearned, on five MSU hits.

Freshman Cassee Layne falls to 8-11 with her loss today. Layne struck out four batters faced. Layne allowed five Hawkeye runs, three earned, on five hits.

Due to impending inclement weather in Iowa, MSU is now scheduled to face the Hawkeyes at 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 10 at Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa.