Michigan State University
7-10, 0
Minnesota
12-13, 0
Softball Falls in Back-and-Forth B1G Opener
3/13/2025 8:18:00 PM | Softball
MSU moves to 7-10 (0-1 B1G) while Minnesota improves to 12-13 (1-0 B1G). The Spartans will take on the Golden Gophers for game two of Michigan State's B1G x OKC series on Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Freshman Jacey Schuler (5-4) went 5.1 innings allowing three earned runs on eight hits and one strikeout. Schuler was relieved by senior Faith Guidry and sophomore Ava Mullen who each recorded an out in the sixth inning.
Seven Spartans tallied base hits as MSU put 10 hits on the board, their seventh game this season posting 10 or more hits. Junior Britain Beshears had a strong day at the plate finishing 3-for-4 with her fourth home run of the season. Freshman Ava Coffinger was perfect at the dish going 2-for-2 with a walk. Coffinger and Beshears both drove in one RBI apiece, joining sophomore Kendall Smiley, junior Kaelin Cash and freshman Natalia Kenyatta with a run driven in. Smiley tripled and junior Hannah Hawley doubled to record extra-base hits for MSU.
Great two-out hitting got Michigan State on the board in the second inning. A two-out single up the middle by Greer started the Spartan momentum. Lee drew a walk before an RBI single to shallow left by Kenyatta brought Greer home from second. Coffinger drove in the first RBI of her collegiate career in the next at-bat scoring Lee from third on a single through the 5-6 hole.
More two-out momentum for MSU! Ava Coffinger slaps one through the left side to score Macy Lee! pic.twitter.com/6jLQll3Fx6
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 13, 2025
Minnesota tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth when a bases loaded single scored two runners with two outs on the board.
Beshears, who celebrated her birthday on Thursday, quickly put the Spartans back in front leading off the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field.
Birthday bomb for Britain Beshears!
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 13, 2025
She knew it was gone as soon as it left her bat! pic.twitter.com/XVbTJa8pM7
The Golden Gophers took a 6-3 lead over MSU in the sixth scoring four runs on five hits, forcing the Spartans to make a pair of pitching changes.
Down to their final three outs Michigan State fought to even the tide in the seventh when three straight batters reached to open the frame. Coffinger singled to start the inning and an RBI triple to left center field by Smiley brought her home. With runners on the corners following a Hawley walk, Cash drove in Smiley via fielder's choice to bring MSU within one, 6-5.
Kendall Smiley bringing home Ava Coffinger with a triple in the seventh! pic.twitter.com/hkj3lcIuMA
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 13, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Susa (1-0)
L: Schuler, Jacey (5-4)
S: Hosick (2)
Batting:
2B: Hawley, Hannah 1
3B: Smiley, Kendall 1
HR: Beshears, Britain 1
RBI: Smiley, Kendall 1 ; Cash, Kaelin 1 ; Beshears, Britain 1 ; Kenyatta, Natalia 1 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smiley, Kendall 1 ; Beshears, Britain 1 ; Greer, Hannah 1 ; Lee , Macy 1 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
HBP: Hawley, Hannah 1
Batting:
2B: Krapf 1 ; Werner 1
RBI: Valencia 2 ; Easton 1
SH: Easton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tobias 1 ; Werner 1 ; Cosgriff 2 ; Easton 1 ; Burnett 1
