Friday, March 29
Bloomington, IN
1:00 PM ET
Michigan State University
11-19, 0
8
at
13
Indiana
26-10, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Michigan State
0
0
5
1
0
0
2
8
7
1
Indiana
0
0
0
12
1
0
X
13
13
4
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wood, J. (1-1)
L: Gregory, McKenna (3-7)
Batting:
HR: Ladd, Caitie 2
RBI: Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Ladd, Caitie 6
SH: Joyner, Laney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Quinlan, Katie 1 ; Echols, Charla 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 2 ; Ladd, Caitie 2 ; Joseph, Abby 1
SB: Joseph, Abby 1
CS: Baccay, Melanie 1
Batting:
2B: Jenkins 1 ; Lacefield 1 ; Westmoreland 1
3B: Lambert 1
RBI: Lambert 3 ; Jenkins 1 ; Norton 1 ; Lacefield 2 ; Westmoreland 1 ; Galovich 3
SH: Jenkins 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lambert 1 ; Jenkins 2 ; Baez 1 ; Combs 1 ; Ferrari 1 ; Radcliffe 2 ; Westmoreland 1 ; Hart 1 ; Galovich 2 ; Davis 1
SB: Lambert 1
CS: Lambert 1
HBP: Radcliffe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
6
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/3B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSS/UTL
/ Softball
1B/UTL
/ Softball
DP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
Ladd Homers Twice in Tough Loss at IU
3/29/2019 3:55:00 PM | Softball
Sophomore tallies six RBI
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State dropped the first game of its series at Indiana, 13-8, on Friday afternoon. Caitie Ladd hit a pair of homers – a grand slam in the third and a two-run shot in the seventh – but a big inning by the Hoosiers in the fifth was just too much for MSU to overcome in the end.
The Spartans (11-19, 1-3 Big Ten) rallied for five runs in the third inning – helped by Ladd's grand slam and a bases-loaded walk to Kaitlyn Eveland. The home team countered with a 12-run explosion in the bottom of the fifth that put the Spartans in a big hole, and despite baserunners in every inning, MSU only drew closer on Ladd's second shot in the top of the seventh with Kaitlyn Eveland aboard.
Ladd had two homers, tying for the school record that has been established 24 times earlier, including by current players Kelly Zackrison, Lexi White, and Kaitlyn Eveland. Ebonee Echols was the only other player with multiple hits (2), while Charla Echols was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored. McKenna Gregory took the loss in the circle, falling to 3-7 on the year.
Indiana's big inning allowed the Hoosiers to overcome four errors on the day. IU used three pitchers – the Spartans chased staff ace Tara Trainer after the five-run third, then saw Josie Wood (two innings) and then Natalie Foor, who surrendered the second homer to Ladd. Wood was the eventual winner after throwing two innings. Offensively, IU had five players with multiple base hits (Indiana had a total of 13 base knocks on the day), while both Taylor Lambert and Sarah Galovich had three RBI each.
TOP PERFORMERS
• Caitie Ladd smacked a third-inning grand slam and a two-run homer in the seventh, finishing at 2-for-3 on the day with a walk and a career-best six RBI.
• Ebonee Echols went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
• Kaitlyn Eveland was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored
STATS AND STORYLINES
• The Spartans stranded three runners over the first two innings, but got on the scoreboard in the top of the third. An error, a walk, and a single by Ebonee Echols loaded the bases with one out. Kaitlyn Eveland stepped in and was walked on four pitches – the fifth free pass issued by Tara Trainer through the first three innings. After the walk to Eveland allowed Quinlan to come home for the 1-0 lead, Caitie Ladd stepped in and smacked a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left field. It was her fifth homer of the year and gave the Spartans a 5-0 advantage after three innings.
• Indiana moved away from its ace for the fourth inning, bringing on Josie Wood in relief. Trainer walked five, struck out four, and gave up the first five MSU runs. The Spartans got a leadoff single from Lexi White, and she was replaced by Abby Joseph on the basepaths. With MacKenzie Meech at the plate, her comebacker to the circle had Wood on the clock, and her throw to first was off the mark and into foul territory. Joseph scored easily, but Meech was the third out of the inning by trying to gain the extra base on the miscue.
• Indiana exploded for twelve runs in the bottom of the fourth to turn a six-run deficit into a six-run lead. The Hoosiers got a pair of doubles, two singles, a triple, and worked a pair of walks to turn the game on its ear. MSU started the inning with Walker in the circle, and made two pitching changes – bringing on Gregory, then Watson.
• MSU left the bases loaded without scoring in the top of the fifth, but had a base hit from Ebonee Echols to lead things off.
• Ladd hit her second homer of the day with one on in the top of the seventh. Kaitlyn Eveland had led off the inning with a single to right center, and Ladd followed with a shot to center field to cut the Spartan deficit to 13-8.
• Ladd's feat of a two-homer game has also been accomplished by Kelly Zackrison (April 28, 2018 vs. Rutgers), Lexi White (May 8, 2017 vs. Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament) and Kaitlyn Eveland (April 8, 2018 vs. Penn State).
• Ladd's six RBI is tied for second all-time in a single game. Dayna Feenstra drove in seven runs vs. Wright State on March 9, 2006.
Michigan State dropped the first game of its series at Indiana, 13-8, on Friday afternoon. Caitie Ladd hit a pair of homers – a grand slam in the third and a two-run shot in the seventh – but a big inning by the Hoosiers in the fifth was just too much for MSU to overcome in the end.
The Spartans (11-19, 1-3 Big Ten) rallied for five runs in the third inning – helped by Ladd's grand slam and a bases-loaded walk to Kaitlyn Eveland. The home team countered with a 12-run explosion in the bottom of the fifth that put the Spartans in a big hole, and despite baserunners in every inning, MSU only drew closer on Ladd's second shot in the top of the seventh with Kaitlyn Eveland aboard.
Ladd had two homers, tying for the school record that has been established 24 times earlier, including by current players Kelly Zackrison, Lexi White, and Kaitlyn Eveland. Ebonee Echols was the only other player with multiple hits (2), while Charla Echols was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored. McKenna Gregory took the loss in the circle, falling to 3-7 on the year.
Indiana's big inning allowed the Hoosiers to overcome four errors on the day. IU used three pitchers – the Spartans chased staff ace Tara Trainer after the five-run third, then saw Josie Wood (two innings) and then Natalie Foor, who surrendered the second homer to Ladd. Wood was the eventual winner after throwing two innings. Offensively, IU had five players with multiple base hits (Indiana had a total of 13 base knocks on the day), while both Taylor Lambert and Sarah Galovich had three RBI each.
TOP PERFORMERS
• Caitie Ladd smacked a third-inning grand slam and a two-run homer in the seventh, finishing at 2-for-3 on the day with a walk and a career-best six RBI.
• Ebonee Echols went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
• Kaitlyn Eveland was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored
STATS AND STORYLINES
• The Spartans stranded three runners over the first two innings, but got on the scoreboard in the top of the third. An error, a walk, and a single by Ebonee Echols loaded the bases with one out. Kaitlyn Eveland stepped in and was walked on four pitches – the fifth free pass issued by Tara Trainer through the first three innings. After the walk to Eveland allowed Quinlan to come home for the 1-0 lead, Caitie Ladd stepped in and smacked a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left field. It was her fifth homer of the year and gave the Spartans a 5-0 advantage after three innings.
• Indiana moved away from its ace for the fourth inning, bringing on Josie Wood in relief. Trainer walked five, struck out four, and gave up the first five MSU runs. The Spartans got a leadoff single from Lexi White, and she was replaced by Abby Joseph on the basepaths. With MacKenzie Meech at the plate, her comebacker to the circle had Wood on the clock, and her throw to first was off the mark and into foul territory. Joseph scored easily, but Meech was the third out of the inning by trying to gain the extra base on the miscue.
• Indiana exploded for twelve runs in the bottom of the fourth to turn a six-run deficit into a six-run lead. The Hoosiers got a pair of doubles, two singles, a triple, and worked a pair of walks to turn the game on its ear. MSU started the inning with Walker in the circle, and made two pitching changes – bringing on Gregory, then Watson.
• MSU left the bases loaded without scoring in the top of the fifth, but had a base hit from Ebonee Echols to lead things off.
• Ladd hit her second homer of the day with one on in the top of the seventh. Kaitlyn Eveland had led off the inning with a single to right center, and Ladd followed with a shot to center field to cut the Spartan deficit to 13-8.
• Ladd's feat of a two-homer game has also been accomplished by Kelly Zackrison (April 28, 2018 vs. Rutgers), Lexi White (May 8, 2017 vs. Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament) and Kaitlyn Eveland (April 8, 2018 vs. Penn State).
• Ladd's six RBI is tied for second all-time in a single game. Dayna Feenstra drove in seven runs vs. Wright State on March 9, 2006.
A Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, April 17
A Higher Standard | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, February 11
Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20