Michigan State University
19-24, 0
Rutgers
17-28, 0
Spartans Open Rutgers Series With 4-2 Win
4/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score | PDF Box: MSU 4, Rutgers 2 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State won its third straight game, a 4-2 decision over visiting Rutgers on Friday.
The visitors loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh inning, but senior Kristina Zalewski (who had exited in the sixth with two outs) reentered the game and struck out the two batters she faced to secure the win.
Zalewski earned the victory with 6.1 innings pitched, striking out eight batters total and did not issue a walk. Bridgette Rainey pitched two-thirds of an inning and surrendered one hit and struck out two.
The Spartans rallied from a 1-0 deficit with a three-run fifth inning. Four of MSU's base hits were doubles: two from Lea Foerster, a two-run double from Kelcey Carrasco in the fifth and an RBI double from Caitie Ladd in the sixth.
MSU improves to 19-24, 5-11 Big Ten; the Scarlet Knights fall to 17-28, 2-13 B1G. With just two weekends remaining in Conference play before the Big Ten Tournament, each game is critical as teams jostle for position in the league standings. The top 12 teams will participate in the Big Ten Tournament in Madison, Wis.
MSU continues its series with Rutgers on Saturday, with a 1 pm first pitch.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Lea Foerster went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a hit by pitch.
- Kelcey Carrasco had a two-run double in the fifth inning.
- Kristina Zalewski had eight strikeouts, including two when she re-entered the game in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded. She scattered six base hits in 6.1 innings and did not issue a walk.
STATS AND STORYLINES
- Hailey Hoklotubbe led off the top half of the fourth inning with a single, and went to third on a single to right by Rebecca Hall; Hall went to second on the throw. A single through the right side brought home Hoklotubbe, but a strong throw by Quinlan in right nailed Hall at the plate as she tried to score.
- In the fourth, back-to-back singles and an error in the outfield put two runners in scoring position for the Spartans. Pinch-hitter Joanna Bartz drew a walk to load the bases with one out, but Jones worked out of the jam.
- In the bottom of the fifth, the Spartans took their first lead. Foerster was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Ladd sac bunt. Echols walked, and Kelcey Carrasco brought both around to score with a double to left center. Kaitlyn Eveland reached on a fielder's choice, but the third baseman did not tag pinch runner Summer Callahan at third to leave runners at the corners, and then the Spartans executed the double steal to bring home the third run.
- The visitors came right back to trim the lead. Leadoff hitter Jess Hughes started off the inning with a double to left center, went to third on a wild pitc, then came home on a Rebecca Hall single to make it 3-2. The Spartans went to the bullpen with two out and Hall on second, and Bridgette Rainey got a big strikeout to strand the tying run at second.
- After Riley Paxson reached with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth, the Scarlet Knights made a pitching change of their own, going to Bianca Vozenilek. Melanie Baccay hit into a fielder's choice to keep the lone Spartan runner at first, and Vozenilek got Foerster to fly out to left center for the second out. Baccay went to second on a wild pitch, and then came around to score on a double by Caitie Ladd.
- Rutgers loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh - a leadoff single by Anyssa Iliopoulos, and then a one-out walks by Madyson Cole and pinch hitter Christine Malito. Zalewski came back in from the bullpen to relieve Rainey and struck out the two batters she faced to record the win.
- Prior to the game, MSU honored senior Jordan Davis. MSU will honor four-year letterwinner McKenzie Long before the game on Saturday.
- MSU's women's golf team was on hand, and head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll threw out the honorary first pitch. Slobodnik-Stoll recently guided the Spartans to their second straight Big Ten Championship and earned her second-straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zalewski, Kristina (11-10)
L: Whitney Jones (8-14)
Batting:
2B: Jess Hughes 1
RBI: Rebecca Hall 1 ; Nicole Bowman 1
SH: Myah Moy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jess Hughes 1 ; Hailey Hoklotubbe 1
CS: Madyson Cole 1
Batting:
2B: Foerster, Lea 2 ; Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Carrasco, Kelcey 1
RBI: Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Carrasco, Kelcey 2
SH: Ladd, Caitie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Foerster, Lea 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Callahan, Summer 1 ; Baccay, Melanie 1
SB: Callahan, Summer 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1
HBP: Foerster, Lea 1
