Sunday, March 24
Evanston, Ill.
12 PM CT
Michigan State University
12-16, 0-2
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Northwestern
15-7, 2-0
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Michigan State
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Northwestern
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Photo by: Danny Sikkenga
Taylor Notches Career-High Eight Strikeouts in Series Finale at Northwestern
3/24/2024 7:36:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Michigan State softball was defeated twice at Northwestern on Sunday, 11-3, 4-0) to wrap up MSU's B1G season opening road series at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
MSU's record moves to 12-17 (0-3 B1G), while Northwestern improves to 16-7 (3-0 B1G).
Game One – Northwestern 11, Michigan State 3
Junior Madison Taylor (1-6) struck out a career-high eight batters in game one, topping her previous career-best of five set against IUPUI on April 12, 2022, when Taylor attended Ball State. Taylor allowed five earned runs on eight hits through 4.1 innings in the circle. Senior Ashlyn Roberts pitched in relief, allowing one earned run in 0.1 innings.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley, senior Collette Allen and freshman Payton Conroy all recorded hits for the Spartans. Senior Anna Fox and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony each reached base via walk. Anthony and junior Macy lee tallied RBI for Michigan State.
Northwestern got out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings, using back-to-back home runs in the first inning to get the scoring started.
Michigan State started to chip away at the Wildcats lead in the fifth scoring a trio of runs. A bases loaded walk by Anthony brought senior Jenae Wash in to score the first run of the game for MSU. Allen would later score on a passed ball for Michigan State's second run of the frame. Conroy scored from third when Lee reached via fielder's choice on a grounder to short.
The Wildcats forced a run rule with a six-run fifth inning. A pair of Spartan errors prolonged the inning, allowing Northwestern to continue building momentum throughout.
Game Two – Northwestern 4, Michigan State 0
Senior Liv Grey (8-8) struck out five in a complete game effort, allowing four earned runs on six hits through six innings of work.
Senior Anna Fox and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony each went 2-for-2 at the plate, with Anthony reaching a third time via walk. Junior Macy Lee and senior Jenae Wash also had hits for the Spartans. Sophomore Hannah Hawley reached base once via walk.
Northwestern used back-to-back-to-back home runs in the third inning to break away from a 0-0 tie, leading MSU 3-0 at the end of the frame. The Wildcats added a fourth run on a sac fly in the fourth.
Michigan State threatened to score in the third and the fifth frame. Anthony and Fox each singled to start the third, and Lee hit a two-out single through the left side. Anthony rounded third with a head of steam looking to score, but a perfect throw by the Northwestern outfielder stopped her at the plate.
It was once again Anthony and Fox getting the party started in the fifth, with Anthony drawing a walk and Fox singling to short. Hawley walked to load the bases, but MSU was unable to push any runs across home plate.
Up Next
Michigan State will look to rebound next weekend when it heads to Iowa for the continuation of B1G action. Play gets started in Iowa City at 6:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 29. The Hawkeyes are 14-11 this season and won two-of-three against Wisconsin to open the conference slate.
MSU's record moves to 12-17 (0-3 B1G), while Northwestern improves to 16-7 (3-0 B1G).
Game One – Northwestern 11, Michigan State 3
Junior Madison Taylor (1-6) struck out a career-high eight batters in game one, topping her previous career-best of five set against IUPUI on April 12, 2022, when Taylor attended Ball State. Taylor allowed five earned runs on eight hits through 4.1 innings in the circle. Senior Ashlyn Roberts pitched in relief, allowing one earned run in 0.1 innings.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley, senior Collette Allen and freshman Payton Conroy all recorded hits for the Spartans. Senior Anna Fox and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony each reached base via walk. Anthony and junior Macy lee tallied RBI for Michigan State.
Northwestern got out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings, using back-to-back home runs in the first inning to get the scoring started.
Michigan State started to chip away at the Wildcats lead in the fifth scoring a trio of runs. A bases loaded walk by Anthony brought senior Jenae Wash in to score the first run of the game for MSU. Allen would later score on a passed ball for Michigan State's second run of the frame. Conroy scored from third when Lee reached via fielder's choice on a grounder to short.
The Wildcats forced a run rule with a six-run fifth inning. A pair of Spartan errors prolonged the inning, allowing Northwestern to continue building momentum throughout.
Game Two – Northwestern 4, Michigan State 0
Senior Liv Grey (8-8) struck out five in a complete game effort, allowing four earned runs on six hits through six innings of work.
Senior Anna Fox and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony each went 2-for-2 at the plate, with Anthony reaching a third time via walk. Junior Macy Lee and senior Jenae Wash also had hits for the Spartans. Sophomore Hannah Hawley reached base once via walk.
Northwestern used back-to-back-to-back home runs in the third inning to break away from a 0-0 tie, leading MSU 3-0 at the end of the frame. The Wildcats added a fourth run on a sac fly in the fourth.
Michigan State threatened to score in the third and the fifth frame. Anthony and Fox each singled to start the third, and Lee hit a two-out single through the left side. Anthony rounded third with a head of steam looking to score, but a perfect throw by the Northwestern outfielder stopped her at the plate.
It was once again Anthony and Fox getting the party started in the fifth, with Anthony drawing a walk and Fox singling to short. Hawley walked to load the bases, but MSU was unable to push any runs across home plate.
Up Next
Michigan State will look to rebound next weekend when it heads to Iowa for the continuation of B1G action. Play gets started in Iowa City at 6:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 29. The Hawkeyes are 14-11 this season and won two-of-three against Wisconsin to open the conference slate.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grudzielanek, Riley (4-1)
L: Taylor, Madison (1-6)
S: Henry, Cami (2)
Batting:
RBI: Lee , Macy 1 ; Anthony, Mik 1
SH: Ross, Alexis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wash, Jenae 1 ; Allen, Collette 1 ; Conroy, Payton 1
HBP: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Wash, Jenae 1
Batting:
2B: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Sciborski, Lauren 1
HR: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 2
RBI: Robinson, Kansas 3 ; Nader, Kelsey 3 ; Zedak, Angela 1 ; Raye, Emma 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 3
SF: Robinson, Kansas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 2 ; Donahey, Bridget 1 ; Cady, Hannah 2 ; Minarovic, Grace 1 ; Sciborski, Lauren 1 ; Muno, Ainsley 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 2
SB: Minarovic, Grace 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
HBP: Cady, Hannah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball
3B
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
3B/C
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
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Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20