Michigan State University
13-18, 1-4
Iowa
15-12, 3-2
Softball Earns First B1G Win, Splits Day Two in Iowa City
3/30/2024 6:10:00 PM | Softball
MSU moves to 13-19 (1-5 B1G) while the Hawkeyes are now 16-12 (4-2 B1G).
Game One – Michigan State 8, Iowa 2
Senior Liv Grey (9-9) tossed her sixth complete game of the season in game one, striking out three Hawkeye batters. Grey allowed just four hits and two earned runs in the contest.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley was perfect at the plate going 3-for-3 with a walk, two home runs and three runs batted in. Senior Jenae Wash, sophomore Sydney Doloszycki, senior Anna Fox, sophomore Britain Beshears and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony also tallied base hits for MSU. Doloszycki reached three times, walking twice and driving in one RBI. Beshears, Wash, Anthony and Fox worked walks.
Doloszycki did it all for the Spartans in the first, singling to center to score Hawley from second, stealing third and scoring on a passed ball to put MSU ahead 2-0.
Syd gets us started in the first! She drives one back up the middle to bring home Hannah Hawley.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/vQK6dGVfq7
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
Hawley recorded her second hit of the game in the third, putting the Spartans ahead 3-0 with a solo home run to left.
Hannah Hawley kisses that one goodbye! Her seventh long ball of the year puts us up 3-0 in the third.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/SN853fJU8F
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
Iowa looked to get on the board in the third themselves, loading the bases, but Grey navigated trouble to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Hawkeyes broke through in the fourth after a trio of singles scored a pair of runs, cutting MSU's advantage to 3-2 heading into the fifth.
Hawley's big day at the plate continued in the fifth as her two-out, two-run homer off a fresh Hawkeye pitcher put Michigan State ahead 5-2. Fox drew a two-out bases loaded walk in the sixth to increase the Spartan lead to 6-2.
Scratch that, make it eight home runs on the season for Hannah Hawley!
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
We lead 5-2 heading to the bottom of the fifth.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/ziavjTiTcP
Senior Alexis Ross saved a potential run with a web gem catch in the bottom of the sixth.
Alexis Ross with a WEB GEM in center to end the sixth!
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
What an inning defensively for the Spartans.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp@ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/WNcW6Snki8
MSU showed patience working four walks in the seventh inning. Wash's walk brought home the pinch-running sophomore Kayla Bane from third. Anthony capped off the inning with an RBI single to center that scored Doloszycki. The Spartans pushed for a second run on the play but were out at home.
Mik Anthony clubs one into center to bring home another Spartan in the seventh!
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
We lead 8-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/qnC5sBMQcw
Game Two – Iowa 1, Michigan State 0
Junior Madison Taylor (1-7) tossed a gem in the circle throwing six scoreless frames and striking out one. Taylor allowed just one earned run in the seventh inning.
Hawley once again was the star offensively for MSU with a pair of hits in game two. Junior Macy Lee, Doloszycki, Wash, Anthony and Fox also had hits for the Spartans. Doloszycki and Wash each doubled. Lee and Anthony walked to reach base twice in the late game.
Michigan State's best scoring chance came in the fourth when Wash led-off the inning with a double. Wash and Anthony both ended the inning in scoring position.
The MSU defense was excellent in both games, making key plays to prevent runs. It was a major reason why Iowa stranded 10 base runners in game two. Michigan State's defense got out of bases-loaded threats in the second and sixth innings.
In the second, sophomore Payton Conroy and Fox teamed up for an inning-ending double play where Conroy dove to her left and flipped the ball to Fox at second.
Conroy ▶️ Fox
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
The dive and the flip to second to end a bases loaded threat in the second!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/1WJWi0o6Yf
Wash charged for a ball and made a diving grab in left to end a bases loaded threat in the sixth.
Jenae Wash makes the diving catch to end the inning and the bases loaded threat!
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 30, 2024
Headed to the seventh locked in at 0-0.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/LR6f1U86q7
Iowa led-off the seventh with a triple to quickly put a runner in scoring position. The next batter hit a comeback that ricocheted off Taylor in the circle, allowing the runner to score and end the game.
Up Next
Michigan State makes its return to Secchia Stadium for the first time in 2024 next weekend when it welcomes Indiana to East Lansing on April 5-7. First pitch on Friday, April 5 is set for 5:00 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grey, Liv (9-9)
L: Jaylee Ojo (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Wash, Jenae 1
HR: Hawley, Hannah 2
RBI: Hawley, Hannah 3 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Wash, Jenae 1 ; Anthony, Mik 1 ; Fox, Anna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawley, Hannah 3 ; Bane, Kayla 1 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 2 ; Bila, Hailey 1 ; Fox, Anna 1
SB: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Bane, Kayla 1 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Fox, Anna 1
Batting:
RBI: Tory Bennett 2
SH: Grace Banes 1 ; Avery Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Echo Mattiello 1 ; Devin Simon 1
HBP: Devyn Greer 1 ; Tory Bennett 1
