Friday, March 1
Conway, S.C.
11:30 AM
Michigan State University
vs
Iona
Photo by: Erica Lee
Chanticleer Showdown Next Up for Spartan Softball
2/29/2024 11:05:00 AM | Softball
CONWAY, S.C. – Fresh off a pair of mid-week victories over Campbell and UNC Wilmington, Michigan State softball remains on the road this upcoming weekend at the Chanticleer Showdown hosted by Coastal Carolina. Action kicks off on Friday, March 1 when MSU meets Iona at 11:30 p.m. The Spartans are scheduled for five games over the weekend before returning to East Lansing.
Only Friday's game against Coastal Carolina will be streamed. Live stats will be provided for all other games throughout the weekend.
SCHEDULE
Friday, March 1
11:30 p.m. vs. Iona | Live Stats
2:00 p.m. at Coastal Carolina | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, March 2
11:30 a.m. vs. Yale | Live Stats
2:00 p.m. vs. Oakland | Live Stats
Sunday, March 3
9:00 a.m. vs. Iona | Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
The Spartans are 3-2 all-time against Coastal Carolina, last defeating the Chanticleers on March 14, 2009 by a final score of 10-8 in Conway. MSU is 3-0 all-time when facing Yale, taking down the Bulldogs, 12-6, on March 10, 2023 in San Diego.
It's rare to face an intra-state opponent 830 miles from home, but that's what Michigan State will do on Saturday when it meets Oakland. MSU is 26-7 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies, which includes a 3-0 record at neutral sites. The two sides have not met at a neutral venue since March 20, 2004, a 10-0 win for the Spartans. Michigan State defeated Oakland, 4-3, last season on April 4, 2023.
This weekend's meetings will be the first between Michigan State and Iona.
SOFTBALL SWEEPS MID-WEEKS
Michigan State is on a three-game winning streak after sweeping both of its mid-week contests earlier this week. The Spartans dispatched Campbell (3-0) on Tuesday night before taking down UNC Wilmington (10-6) in comeback fashion on Wednesday night.
MSU needed just three hits to defeat Campbell as senior Liv Grey and junior Madison Taylor combined for a shutout. Michigan State's game against UNCW was the opposite, with MSU posting 10 runs on 14 hits. Every batter in the Spartan starting lineup recorded a hit. Sophomore Hannah Hawley was 3-for-5 with four RBI, a double and her fourth home run of the season. Senior Alexis Ross finished 4-for-5 with a program record four stolen bases.
SPARTANS STACK UP IN THE B1G
Through 17 games, Michigan State leads the B1G with 24 home runs and is fourth in fielding percentage (.965). Beshears leads the conference in home runs (9) while ranking fourth in slugging (.915), seventh in OPS (1.292) and second in RBI (19). Hawley is first in the B1G in doubles (6), third in hits (19) and seventh in home runs (4). Ross leads the conference in stolen bases (9) and is seventh in hits (18). Junior Macy Lee is sixth in walks (8) and first in sac flys (3). In the circle, Grey leads the B1G in innings pitched (45.2), strikeouts (61) and strikeouts looking (20).
RECORD BREAKER
Senior outfielder Alexis Ross broke the program record for single-game stolen bases against UNCW on Wednesday night with four. Ross previously tied the all-time mark last weekend at the Duke Invitational. She leads the Spartans with nine stolen bases on the year going a spotless 9-for-9 in steal attempts.
ABOUT IONA
Iona got a late start to its season and is 1-3 entering the weekend. At NC State last week the Gaels defeated UAlbany (12-9) but fell to Appalachian State, UAlbany and Cleveland State.
Hitting was Iona's strong suit last week hitting .282 as a team with five home runs in four games. Kayla Haywood is hitting a healthy .538 while Jamie Sheeran is hitting .500. Kaylin Flukey posted six RBI in the Gaels' opening weekend while hitting .357. Emily Capuano hit .222 but drew six walks good for a .533 on-base percentage.
In the circle Iona posted a 7.81 team ERA and were led by 10.0 innings from Alyssa DeJianne.
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA
Winners of two-straight, Coastal Carolina enters the weekend with a 7-5 record. In last week's Battle at the Beach, the Chants went 2-1 with wins over Bowling Green (11-3) and Furman (8-2) after falling to Louisville (6-2) to open the weekend. The sides share one common opponent with Coastal Carolina taking down Campbell earlier in the season by a 2-0 final score.
Delaney Keith is hitting .417 to lead the Chants at the plate. Indya Smith and Iyanla De Jesus have each hit three home runs to pace Coastal Carolina in power. De Jesus also leads the team with 12 RBI.
Raelee Brabham is the top pitcher on the staff tossing 37.0 to the tune of a 1.51 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .207 against her in the circle. Brabham and Nicolette Picone have started 11 of Coastal Carolina's 12 games. Picone has a 3.38 ERA through 29.0 innings of work.
ABOUT YALE
The Ivy League traditionally starts its season later than the rest, and that continued in 2024 with Yale going 1-4 in its opening weekend at the South Florida Showdown Feb. 23-25. Yale defeated Loyola Chicago (8-7) and lost tough games to Pitt, Oklahoma State, Washington and South Florida.
Willa Ferrer is hitting .417 with the lone home run one on the team, while Libby People is hitting .400 with a team-high six hits. Emma Taylor has pitched 12.1 innings with a 3.41 ERA. As a team Yale owns a 6.69 ERA.
ABOUT OAKLAND
Oakland is 4-2 after starting its season at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, South Carolina last weekend. The Golden Grizzlies defeated Charleston three times and South Carolina State University, while losing close games to Princeton (2-0) and North Carolina (1-0).
Jen Krizka is hitting .579 to start the season strong and leads the team with seven RBI. Krizka was named the Horizon League Player of the Week.
Sydney Campbell was the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week last week as the Golden Grizzlies swept the league's weekly honors. Campbell owns a 1.11 ERA in 19.0 innings of work in the circle along with three complete games. Opponents, including North Carolina, have hit .171 against her this season.
UP NEXT
Michigan State will take a much-needed week off from competition after 12 scheduled games through 11 days of travel over spring break.
Only Friday's game against Coastal Carolina will be streamed. Live stats will be provided for all other games throughout the weekend.
SCHEDULE
Friday, March 1
11:30 p.m. vs. Iona | Live Stats
2:00 p.m. at Coastal Carolina | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, March 2
11:30 a.m. vs. Yale | Live Stats
2:00 p.m. vs. Oakland | Live Stats
Sunday, March 3
9:00 a.m. vs. Iona | Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
The Spartans are 3-2 all-time against Coastal Carolina, last defeating the Chanticleers on March 14, 2009 by a final score of 10-8 in Conway. MSU is 3-0 all-time when facing Yale, taking down the Bulldogs, 12-6, on March 10, 2023 in San Diego.
It's rare to face an intra-state opponent 830 miles from home, but that's what Michigan State will do on Saturday when it meets Oakland. MSU is 26-7 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies, which includes a 3-0 record at neutral sites. The two sides have not met at a neutral venue since March 20, 2004, a 10-0 win for the Spartans. Michigan State defeated Oakland, 4-3, last season on April 4, 2023.
This weekend's meetings will be the first between Michigan State and Iona.
SOFTBALL SWEEPS MID-WEEKS
Michigan State is on a three-game winning streak after sweeping both of its mid-week contests earlier this week. The Spartans dispatched Campbell (3-0) on Tuesday night before taking down UNC Wilmington (10-6) in comeback fashion on Wednesday night.
MSU needed just three hits to defeat Campbell as senior Liv Grey and junior Madison Taylor combined for a shutout. Michigan State's game against UNCW was the opposite, with MSU posting 10 runs on 14 hits. Every batter in the Spartan starting lineup recorded a hit. Sophomore Hannah Hawley was 3-for-5 with four RBI, a double and her fourth home run of the season. Senior Alexis Ross finished 4-for-5 with a program record four stolen bases.
SPARTANS STACK UP IN THE B1G
Through 17 games, Michigan State leads the B1G with 24 home runs and is fourth in fielding percentage (.965). Beshears leads the conference in home runs (9) while ranking fourth in slugging (.915), seventh in OPS (1.292) and second in RBI (19). Hawley is first in the B1G in doubles (6), third in hits (19) and seventh in home runs (4). Ross leads the conference in stolen bases (9) and is seventh in hits (18). Junior Macy Lee is sixth in walks (8) and first in sac flys (3). In the circle, Grey leads the B1G in innings pitched (45.2), strikeouts (61) and strikeouts looking (20).
RECORD BREAKER
Senior outfielder Alexis Ross broke the program record for single-game stolen bases against UNCW on Wednesday night with four. Ross previously tied the all-time mark last weekend at the Duke Invitational. She leads the Spartans with nine stolen bases on the year going a spotless 9-for-9 in steal attempts.
ABOUT IONA
Iona got a late start to its season and is 1-3 entering the weekend. At NC State last week the Gaels defeated UAlbany (12-9) but fell to Appalachian State, UAlbany and Cleveland State.
Hitting was Iona's strong suit last week hitting .282 as a team with five home runs in four games. Kayla Haywood is hitting a healthy .538 while Jamie Sheeran is hitting .500. Kaylin Flukey posted six RBI in the Gaels' opening weekend while hitting .357. Emily Capuano hit .222 but drew six walks good for a .533 on-base percentage.
In the circle Iona posted a 7.81 team ERA and were led by 10.0 innings from Alyssa DeJianne.
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA
Winners of two-straight, Coastal Carolina enters the weekend with a 7-5 record. In last week's Battle at the Beach, the Chants went 2-1 with wins over Bowling Green (11-3) and Furman (8-2) after falling to Louisville (6-2) to open the weekend. The sides share one common opponent with Coastal Carolina taking down Campbell earlier in the season by a 2-0 final score.
Delaney Keith is hitting .417 to lead the Chants at the plate. Indya Smith and Iyanla De Jesus have each hit three home runs to pace Coastal Carolina in power. De Jesus also leads the team with 12 RBI.
Raelee Brabham is the top pitcher on the staff tossing 37.0 to the tune of a 1.51 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .207 against her in the circle. Brabham and Nicolette Picone have started 11 of Coastal Carolina's 12 games. Picone has a 3.38 ERA through 29.0 innings of work.
ABOUT YALE
The Ivy League traditionally starts its season later than the rest, and that continued in 2024 with Yale going 1-4 in its opening weekend at the South Florida Showdown Feb. 23-25. Yale defeated Loyola Chicago (8-7) and lost tough games to Pitt, Oklahoma State, Washington and South Florida.
Willa Ferrer is hitting .417 with the lone home run one on the team, while Libby People is hitting .400 with a team-high six hits. Emma Taylor has pitched 12.1 innings with a 3.41 ERA. As a team Yale owns a 6.69 ERA.
ABOUT OAKLAND
Oakland is 4-2 after starting its season at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, South Carolina last weekend. The Golden Grizzlies defeated Charleston three times and South Carolina State University, while losing close games to Princeton (2-0) and North Carolina (1-0).
Jen Krizka is hitting .579 to start the season strong and leads the team with seven RBI. Krizka was named the Horizon League Player of the Week.
Sydney Campbell was the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week last week as the Golden Grizzlies swept the league's weekly honors. Campbell owns a 1.11 ERA in 19.0 innings of work in the circle along with three complete games. Opponents, including North Carolina, have hit .171 against her this season.
UP NEXT
Michigan State will take a much-needed week off from competition after 12 scheduled games through 11 days of travel over spring break.
Players Mentioned
3B/C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP
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