Sunday, February 25
Durham, N.C.
10:30 AM
Michigan State University
6-9
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2
Elon
5-9
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Elon
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Michigan State
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Photo by: Andy Mead/YCJ
Beshears Powers Softball Over Elon with Walk-Off Winner
2/25/2024 2:20:00 PM | Softball
DURHAM, N.C. – Britain Beshears slugged two home runs, including a walk-off three-run homer on Sunday morning as Michigan State softball defeated Elon, 5-2, to conclude its weekend at the Duke Invitational.
It's the second time this season that Beshears has clobbered two home runs in the same game (last at UT Arlington, Feb. 17) and her eighth home run of the season ties her for the B1G conference lead.
Michigan State improves to 6-9 overall as it prepares for mid-week contests at Campbell and UNC Wilmington.
Junior Faith Guidry started in the circle and pitched four scoreless innings, striking out a pair and allowing five hits. Guidry was relieved to start the fifth inning by junior Madison Taylor, who recorded three strikeouts over 1.1 innings of work and allowed two earned runs. Senior Liv Grey (4-4) entered the game with one out in the sixth and struck out five Phoenix batters in 1.2 scoreless frames.
Beshears and senior Alexis Ross led the Spartans with two hits apiece. Sophomore Hannah Hawley and senior Collette Allen each doubled and drew walks to reach base twice. Beshears led the way with four RBI followed by one for junior Macy Lee. Lee reached base once via walk.
Elon twice had runners reach third base in the first and third innings, but strong pitching by Guidry prevented the Phoenix from scoring.
Beshears, a Novi, Michigan native, did what she does best in the fourth to break a scoreless tie, sending a ball flying over the left field fence for her seventh home run of the season.
The Phoenix tied the game on a fifth inning triple off the right field wall and later in the same frame took a 2-1 lead over MSU on a sac fly to shallow left after an incredible diving grab from senior AJ Militello.
Hawley's one-out double put Michigan State in scoring position in the fifth before a perfectly placed bunt by Ross put runners on the corners. Lee delivered a game-tying sac fly to right that pushed Hawley across home.
Grey entered the game with one out in the sixth and shut the door on the Elon offense earning a strikeout for every out she recorded to keep the game tied at 2-2.
Hawley drew a lead-off walk to open the final inning and later advanced to second when Ross reached on an error at first. With one out on the board, Beshears stepped up to the plate and sent a pitch over the left field fence for her second home run of the game and her eighth of the season. Her eight home runs ties her for the B1G conference lead through 15 games.
Up Next
Michigan State is set to play a pair of mid-week games next week, first traveling to Buies Creek, N.C. to face Campbell on Tuesday, February 27 before heading to Wilmington, N.C. on Wednesday, February 28 for a match-up with UNC Wilmington.
It's the second time this season that Beshears has clobbered two home runs in the same game (last at UT Arlington, Feb. 17) and her eighth home run of the season ties her for the B1G conference lead.
Michigan State improves to 6-9 overall as it prepares for mid-week contests at Campbell and UNC Wilmington.
Junior Faith Guidry started in the circle and pitched four scoreless innings, striking out a pair and allowing five hits. Guidry was relieved to start the fifth inning by junior Madison Taylor, who recorded three strikeouts over 1.1 innings of work and allowed two earned runs. Senior Liv Grey (4-4) entered the game with one out in the sixth and struck out five Phoenix batters in 1.2 scoreless frames.
Beshears and senior Alexis Ross led the Spartans with two hits apiece. Sophomore Hannah Hawley and senior Collette Allen each doubled and drew walks to reach base twice. Beshears led the way with four RBI followed by one for junior Macy Lee. Lee reached base once via walk.
Elon twice had runners reach third base in the first and third innings, but strong pitching by Guidry prevented the Phoenix from scoring.
Beshears, a Novi, Michigan native, did what she does best in the fourth to break a scoreless tie, sending a ball flying over the left field fence for her seventh home run of the season.
The Phoenix tied the game on a fifth inning triple off the right field wall and later in the same frame took a 2-1 lead over MSU on a sac fly to shallow left after an incredible diving grab from senior AJ Militello.
Hawley's one-out double put Michigan State in scoring position in the fifth before a perfectly placed bunt by Ross put runners on the corners. Lee delivered a game-tying sac fly to right that pushed Hawley across home.
Grey entered the game with one out in the sixth and shut the door on the Elon offense earning a strikeout for every out she recorded to keep the game tied at 2-2.
Hawley drew a lead-off walk to open the final inning and later advanced to second when Ross reached on an error at first. With one out on the board, Beshears stepped up to the plate and sent a pitch over the left field fence for her second home run of the game and her eighth of the season. Her eight home runs ties her for the B1G conference lead through 15 games.
Up Next
Michigan State is set to play a pair of mid-week games next week, first traveling to Buies Creek, N.C. to face Campbell on Tuesday, February 27 before heading to Wilmington, N.C. on Wednesday, February 28 for a match-up with UNC Wilmington.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grey, Liv (4-4)
L: McCard, McKenna (1-2)
Batting:
3B: Grant, Megan 1
RBI: Grant, Megan 1 ; Hessenthaler, Greta 1
SH: Grant, Megan 1
SF: Hessenthaler, Greta 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Menscer, Drew 1 ; Grant, Megan 1
SB: Seering, Allee 1
CS: Menscer, Drew 1
HBP: Murray, Mauri 1
Batting:
2B: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Allen, Collette 1
HR: Beshears, Britain 2
RBI: Lee , Macy 1 ; Beshears, Britain 4
SH: Doloszycki, Sydney 1
SF: Lee , Macy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawley, Hannah 2 ; Ross, Alexis 1 ; Beshears, Britain 2
SB: Ross, Alexis 1 ; Beshears, Britain 1
HBP: Wash, Jenae 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball3B/C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
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Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
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