Friday, February 23
Durham, N.C.
12 PM
Michigan State University
5-6
4
vs
1
Elon
4-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Michigan State
0
1
2
0
1
0
0
4
8
1
Elon
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
1
Photo by: Andy Mead/YCJ
Softball Splits at Duke Invitational
2/23/2024 5:02:00 PM | Softball
DURHAM, N.C. – On a rainy Friday in Durham, Michigan State softball split day one of the Duke Invitational defeating Elon (4-1) and falling to Boston University (9-1) at the Duke Softball Stadium.
MSU moves to 5-7 overall and is 1-1 this weekend with three games remaining.
Freshman second baseman Jaeya Butler clobbered home runs in each half of the double feature. Senior pitcher Liv Grey took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning of game one.
Game One – Michigan State 4, Elon 1
Senior Liv Grey (3-3) took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning, striking out eight and allowing just one hit in six innings of work. Grey was relieved by junior Faith Guidry who finished the game and allowed an unearned run to cross and striking out two.
Eight different Spartans recorded base hits in game one and five reached base twice between hits and walks. Sophomore Britain Beshears, freshman Jaeya Butler and sophomore Hannah Hawley all left the yard for MSU.
Senior Alexis Ross stole three bases which tied a single-game Spartan record. Ross is the first Spartan to swipe three bags in a game since Alyssa McBride did so against Penn State on March 29, 2015.
Beshears got the scoring started for Michigan State in the second inning, sending the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her sixth home run of the season. Hawley extended the advantage for MSU with a two-out, two-run homer in the third.
With the two early long balls, Michigan State surpassed its team home run total from the 2023 season (17) with its 18th of the campaign.
Butler continued MSU's stretch of home runs with her fourth of the season, a solo shot to right-center, in the fifth inning to put the Spartans up 4-0.
Elon tried to make things interesting in the final frame after a throwing error extended the inning. Down to their final two outs, back-to-back singles pushed a run across for the Phoenix before Guidry struck out the final batter of the game.
Game Two – Boston 9, Michigan State 1
Junior Madison Taylor (1-2) started for the Spartans pitching 1.2 innings and allowing six earned runs. Taylor was relieved by junior Faith Guidry who was making her second appearance of the afternoon. Guidry matched Taylor with 1.2 innings of work and struck out one while allowing three earned runs. Senior Ashlyn Roberts pitched 0.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Senior Jenae Wash, sophomore Britain Beshears and freshman Jaeya Butler had hits for the Spartans, while sophomore Hannah Hawley and junior Macy Lee drew walks.
Butler's second home run of the day opened the scoring, giving her five home runs in non-conference play. Kelcey Carrasco hit 11 home runs as a freshman in 2017 to set the MSU record for a rookie.
Boston scored nine runs on 12 hits, putting runs on the board in each of their four innings of offense.
Up Next
Michigan State prepares for day two of the Duke Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 24, where they'll meet Villanova at 2:30 p.m. and No. 6-ranked Duke at 7:30 p.m.
MSU moves to 5-7 overall and is 1-1 this weekend with three games remaining.
Freshman second baseman Jaeya Butler clobbered home runs in each half of the double feature. Senior pitcher Liv Grey took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning of game one.
Game One – Michigan State 4, Elon 1
Senior Liv Grey (3-3) took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning, striking out eight and allowing just one hit in six innings of work. Grey was relieved by junior Faith Guidry who finished the game and allowed an unearned run to cross and striking out two.
Eight different Spartans recorded base hits in game one and five reached base twice between hits and walks. Sophomore Britain Beshears, freshman Jaeya Butler and sophomore Hannah Hawley all left the yard for MSU.
Senior Alexis Ross stole three bases which tied a single-game Spartan record. Ross is the first Spartan to swipe three bags in a game since Alyssa McBride did so against Penn State on March 29, 2015.
Beshears got the scoring started for Michigan State in the second inning, sending the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her sixth home run of the season. Hawley extended the advantage for MSU with a two-out, two-run homer in the third.
With the two early long balls, Michigan State surpassed its team home run total from the 2023 season (17) with its 18th of the campaign.
Butler continued MSU's stretch of home runs with her fourth of the season, a solo shot to right-center, in the fifth inning to put the Spartans up 4-0.
Elon tried to make things interesting in the final frame after a throwing error extended the inning. Down to their final two outs, back-to-back singles pushed a run across for the Phoenix before Guidry struck out the final batter of the game.
Game Two – Boston 9, Michigan State 1
Junior Madison Taylor (1-2) started for the Spartans pitching 1.2 innings and allowing six earned runs. Taylor was relieved by junior Faith Guidry who was making her second appearance of the afternoon. Guidry matched Taylor with 1.2 innings of work and struck out one while allowing three earned runs. Senior Ashlyn Roberts pitched 0.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Senior Jenae Wash, sophomore Britain Beshears and freshman Jaeya Butler had hits for the Spartans, while sophomore Hannah Hawley and junior Macy Lee drew walks.
Butler's second home run of the day opened the scoring, giving her five home runs in non-conference play. Kelcey Carrasco hit 11 home runs as a freshman in 2017 to set the MSU record for a rookie.
Boston scored nine runs on 12 hits, putting runs on the board in each of their four innings of offense.
Up Next
Michigan State prepares for day two of the Duke Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 24, where they'll meet Villanova at 2:30 p.m. and No. 6-ranked Duke at 7:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grey, Liv (3-3)
L: T. Cherry (1-1)
Batting:
HR: Butler, Jaeya 1 ; Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Beshears, Britain 1
RBI: Butler, Jaeya 1 ; Hawley, Hannah 2 ; Beshears, Britain 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Butler, Jaeya 1 ; Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Beshears, Britain 1
SB: Ross, Alexis 3 ; Wash, Jenae 1
HBP: Allen, Collette 1
Batting:
RBI: G. Schaal 1
Base Running:
RUNS: K. Wells 1
SB: E. Roberson 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Softball2B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball3B/C
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
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Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20