Michigan State University
17-34
Notre Dame
40-12
Irish Down Spartans in Midweek Tilt
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
East Lansing, Mich. - No. 23 Notre Dame's prolific offense was on display on Tuesday at Secchia Stadium, as the Irish posted a 16-1 five-inning victory over Michigan State. The Irish, who rank 13th in the country in batting average and 23rd in runs, compiled 16 hits in downing MSU in five innings.
Kassidy Kujawa hit a solo home run to account for the lone score of the day, while the Spartans
After a scoreless first, Kristina Zalewski surrendered back-to-back singles to Cassidy Whidden and Morgan Reed to lead off the second, and then a passed ball moved the runners into scoring position. Sara White grounded out to second, freezing the runners on the basepaths, but a wild pitch brought home Whidden, and an infield error brought home Reed to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage. Megan Sorlie, who reached on an error, came across on a fielding error that allowed Karlie Wester to reach base.
In the third, Michaela Arizmendi followed a Katey Haus leadoff walk with a two-run blast over the wall in left to increase the lead to 5-0. After Whidden walked, four straight singles loaded the bases and brought home two more runs - all with none out - to push the Notre Dame lead to 7-0. Back-to-back fly outs to left got the first two outs of the inning, but also plated two runs as the runners tagged up, and then Haus singled home the 10th run of the game for Notre Dame before Zalewski got Whidden to ground out for the third out of the inning.
In the fourth, Valerie Kaff came in to pitch for Zalewski, but the visitors were once again ungracious guests, plating four more runs on four hits. Two runners reached on fielder's choices with the Spartans making the play at the plate, and Reed flew out to left on an impressive shoestring catch by Kujawa in left.
MSU had runners in each inning, but the lone score came in the top of the fifth, when Kujawa hit her 10th home run of the season over the wall in center field.
Katie Beriont came in to pitch the fifth for the Irish, after Allie Rhodes went four innings, striking out two and walking three. Zalewski surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) in three innings, while Kaff allowed four runs and walked four.
MSU plays at Central Michigan on Wednesday in a 4 p.m game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rhodes (19-4)
L: Zalewski, Kristina (13-14)
Batting:
2B: Bouquet 1
HR: Arizmendi 1
RBI: Wester 2 ; Koerner 2 ; Haus 2 ; Arizmendi 2 ; Africano 1 ; Sullivan 1 ; Sorlie 2 ; Simon 1
SF: Wester 1 ; Koerner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wester 1 ; Koerner 1 ; Haus 1 ; Arizmendi 1 ; Whidden 2 ; Reed 3 ; White 1 ; Sorlie 2 ; Bouquet 1 ; Simon 1 ; Piccinich 2
Batting:
HR: Kujawa, Kassidy 1
RBI: Kujawa, Kassidy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kujawa, Kassidy 1
