Saturday, March 23
Evanston, Ill.
1 PM CT
Michigan State University
12-15, 0-1
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at
5
Northwestern
14-7, 1-0
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4
5
6
7
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E
Michigan State
0
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Northwestern
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X
5
8
1
Photo by: Erica Lee
Softball Defeated in B1G Road Opener
3/23/2024 5:21:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern used a three-run home run to break open a close game late as Michigan State softball was defeated in its B1G season opener on Saturday afternoon, 5-1, at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
Action was pushed to Saturday and Sunday after inclement weather postposed Friday's scheduled opener in Evanston. The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, March 23 starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Michigan State moves to 12-15 overall and 0-1 in conference games this season, while the Wildcats improved to 14-7 (1-0 B1G).
Senior Liv Grey (8-7) made her B1G debut, striking out eight in a complete game effort. Grey held Northwestern to two runs through five innings before a two-out three run home run in the sixth.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley and junior Macy Lee each singled for the Spartans, with sophomore Britain Beshears reaching twice with a pair of walks. Senior Jenae Wash drove in the lone MSU run of the afternoon on a grounder in the seventh.
Northwestern used two home runs to power its offense. Kansas Robinson hit a solo homer in the fourth and Kelsey Nader extended NU's lead with a three-run homer in the sixth. Starting pitcher Ashley Miller struck out nine in seven innings.
Senior Alexis Ross made a spectacular diving grab in the fourth to end the inning.
Hawley led-off the game with a hard-hit single that ricocheted off Miller in the circle, but it wasn't until the seventh inning that the Spartans would start to crack the code on Miller.
Lee led off the seventh with a single to shallow center, with the pinch-running sophomore Hailey Bila then advancing to second on a wild pitch. A Beshears walk put two on for sophomore Sydney Doloszycki, who moved Bila to third on a fielder's choice. With one out, Wash hit a bouncing ball to the Wildcat second basemen who couldn't field the ball cleanly which allowed Bila to score from third. A hard-hit line out double play ended the game right as the Spartans were picking up momentum.
Up Next
As Chicago Cubs hall of famer Ernie Banks once said, "Let's play two!" Michigan State softball will face Northwestern in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 23, starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Game two will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Action was pushed to Saturday and Sunday after inclement weather postposed Friday's scheduled opener in Evanston. The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, March 23 starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Michigan State moves to 12-15 overall and 0-1 in conference games this season, while the Wildcats improved to 14-7 (1-0 B1G).
Senior Liv Grey (8-7) made her B1G debut, striking out eight in a complete game effort. Grey held Northwestern to two runs through five innings before a two-out three run home run in the sixth.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley and junior Macy Lee each singled for the Spartans, with sophomore Britain Beshears reaching twice with a pair of walks. Senior Jenae Wash drove in the lone MSU run of the afternoon on a grounder in the seventh.
Northwestern used two home runs to power its offense. Kansas Robinson hit a solo homer in the fourth and Kelsey Nader extended NU's lead with a three-run homer in the sixth. Starting pitcher Ashley Miller struck out nine in seven innings.
Senior Alexis Ross made a spectacular diving grab in the fourth to end the inning.
Alexis Ross lays out for one to end the fourth inning!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/yvOlsMudKj
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 23, 2024
Hawley led-off the game with a hard-hit single that ricocheted off Miller in the circle, but it wasn't until the seventh inning that the Spartans would start to crack the code on Miller.
Lee led off the seventh with a single to shallow center, with the pinch-running sophomore Hailey Bila then advancing to second on a wild pitch. A Beshears walk put two on for sophomore Sydney Doloszycki, who moved Bila to third on a fielder's choice. With one out, Wash hit a bouncing ball to the Wildcat second basemen who couldn't field the ball cleanly which allowed Bila to score from third. A hard-hit line out double play ended the game right as the Spartans were picking up momentum.
Up Next
As Chicago Cubs hall of famer Ernie Banks once said, "Let's play two!" Michigan State softball will face Northwestern in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 23, starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Game two will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miller, Ashley (6-3)
L: Grey, Liv (8-7)
Batting:
RBI: Wash, Jenae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bila, Hailey 1
CS: Ross, Alexis 1
PO: Ross, Alexis 1
Batting:
HR: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 1
RBI: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 4
SH: Muno, Ainsley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Robinson, Kansas 2 ; Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Cunnea, Izzy 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
CS: Minarovic, Grace 1
HBP: Donahey, Bridget 1 ; Muno, Ainsley 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
0
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
1B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
3B/C
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballA 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