Michigan State University
Ball State
Softball Begins FAU Invitational
3/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2013
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Michigan State softball fell to Ball State and Eastern Michigan Thursday afternoon at the Florida Atlantic Invitational. McKinzie Freimuth notched an RBI in both games; Kelly Smith and Dani Goranson each recorded nine strikeouts on the day.
Ball State (9-8) started the first game off swinging, scoring two runs in the first inning. In the third inning, the Cardinals gained momentum as they scored four runs and scored their final run in the fourth inning.
Michigan State (13-9) posted its first runs in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, McKinzie Freimuth reached first on a fielder's choice and tallied an RBI as Destinee Luna advanced to home. Scoring the second MSU run was Dana Briggs as Stephanie Sanders hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
The sixth and seventh inning went scoreless, finalizing the score at 7-2.
Luna led MSU on the plate, going 2-for-3. Smith (10-4) pitched four innings and gave up seven runs, all earned, while Goranson came in to pitch the final three innings.
Ball State's Kelsey Schifferdecker took the win and improved her record to 5-1.
Eastern Michigan (6-7) was the first to score in the second game of the day, putting one run on the board at the bottom of the first.
MSU answered EMU's run, posting two at the top of the second. Jenny Ramsaier and Alyssa McBride scored on a throwing error by the Eagles' catcher, giving MSU a one-run lead, 2-1.
The Spartans continued their momentum as Alyssa McBride singled to left field in the top of the third to send Stephanie Sanders home.
In the bottom of the third, Eastern scored three runs, but Luna tied up the score in the fourth at 4 as she crossed the plate after a single from Freimuth.
Eastern went on to post two additional runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, to go up 6-4, and held MSU scoreless in the final three innings.
Kylene Hopkins, Freimuth and Briggs all went 2-for-3.
Smith allowed four runs; three earned, in 2 1/3 innings pitched and recorded the loss. Goranson pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up two runs, one earned.
Collecting the win was EMU's Jenna Ignowski, allowing four Spartan runs, three earned.
MSU will continue to see action at the FAU Invitational on Friday, March 8, against Kansas at 6 p.m. and FAU at 8 p.m.
