Tuesday, March 18
East Lansing, Mich.
5 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Oakland
Photo by: Erica Lee
Softball Meets Oakland for 2025 Home Opener
3/17/2025 3:57:00 PM | Softball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – After 20 consecutive road games to start the season, Michigan State softball opens Secchia Stadium for the first time in 2025 on Tuesday when it hosts Oakland at 5:00 p.m. for a mid-week non-conference tilt.
Fans are encouraged to wear green to the ballpark for a special St. Patrick's Day themed giveaway. Tickets for Tuesday's game are just $1 as part of MSU's $1 weekdays ticket promo this season.
Viewers at home can tune in on B1G+ or via the Michigan State Athletics app where Jeremy Otto will be calling the action.
THE OPPONENT
Oakland arrives Tuesday with a 6-13 record under first-year head coach Chris Stelma. The Golden Grizzlies went 1-2 in their opening Horizon League weekend, defeating Robert Morris, 3-1, in the conference opener before falling by scores of 8-0 and 11-1. Oakland is 0-2 against Big Ten teams this season, falling by scores of 10-2 and 10-0 at Ohio State earlier this month.
MSU is 27-7 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies including a 16-5 record when playing in East Lansing. The Spartans took down Oakland by run rule last season, 11-0. Liv Grey struck out eight over four innings allowing just two hits in the circle, and Michigan State got two RBI games from Sydney Doloszycki, Macy Lee, Mik Anthony and Alexis Ross.
The Golden Grizzlies have mixed their lineup around in the early part of the season but are led in hitting by Madi Herrington hitting .298 and Kamryn Troyer batting .292. Alyssa Balcom paces the pitching staff with a 4.12 ERA over 54.1 innings in 12 appearances. The Spartans could also see starting pitcher Kenna Bommarito who over 43.0 innings owns a 7.16 ERA.
SPEEDY SMILEY
Sophomore transfer outfielder Kendall Smiley is among the nation's leaders in triples this season with five to her name just over a month into the season. Smiley ranks No. 4 nationally and leads the B1G in triples this season.
Five triples are already the eighth most for a single season in program history. No Spartans has tallied five or more triples since 2021 when Jenae Wash finished the season with five (40 games).
Smiley joined the Spartans from Alabama State where she hit .395 over 57 appearances, including .434 in SWAC action. She was named First Team All-SWAC as a freshman.
SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH MINNESOTA, BATTLES NORTHWESTERN IN OKC
Michigan State went 1-3 at the first-ever B1G x OKC series last week in Oklahoma City, taking down Minnesota (13-11) and dropping a pair of tight knit one-run contests to Minnesota (6-5) and Northwestern (8-7) before falling in the final game of the weekend to the Wildcats (9-2).
The Spartans got impressive performances all week long from several hitters, led by junior Hannah Hawley's .545 batting average, .737 on-base percentage and 1.182 slugging percentage. Hawley led the team with six RBI on six hits, three of which went for extra-bases (two home runs, one double). She drew six walks and was hit-by-pitch twice.
As a team MSU was patient at the plate all weekend finishing with a .443 on-base percentage on .297 hitting. Sophomore Hannah Greer hit .500 (5-for-10) with two walks, and freshman Ava Coffinger hit .400 (4-for-10) with two walks.
GREAT GREER
Sophomore Hannah Greer is making the most of her first season as a Spartan entering the week slashing .341/.423/.614 to rank second on the team behind Hannah Hawley with a 1.037 OPS.
Over the last two weeks Greer leads the team with a .500 average along with a team-high 8 RBIs and no strikeouts. A transfer from Pitt, Greer started in just six games for the Panthers in 2024.
Fans are encouraged to wear green to the ballpark for a special St. Patrick's Day themed giveaway. Tickets for Tuesday's game are just $1 as part of MSU's $1 weekdays ticket promo this season.
Viewers at home can tune in on B1G+ or via the Michigan State Athletics app where Jeremy Otto will be calling the action.
THE OPPONENT
Oakland arrives Tuesday with a 6-13 record under first-year head coach Chris Stelma. The Golden Grizzlies went 1-2 in their opening Horizon League weekend, defeating Robert Morris, 3-1, in the conference opener before falling by scores of 8-0 and 11-1. Oakland is 0-2 against Big Ten teams this season, falling by scores of 10-2 and 10-0 at Ohio State earlier this month.
MSU is 27-7 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies including a 16-5 record when playing in East Lansing. The Spartans took down Oakland by run rule last season, 11-0. Liv Grey struck out eight over four innings allowing just two hits in the circle, and Michigan State got two RBI games from Sydney Doloszycki, Macy Lee, Mik Anthony and Alexis Ross.
The Golden Grizzlies have mixed their lineup around in the early part of the season but are led in hitting by Madi Herrington hitting .298 and Kamryn Troyer batting .292. Alyssa Balcom paces the pitching staff with a 4.12 ERA over 54.1 innings in 12 appearances. The Spartans could also see starting pitcher Kenna Bommarito who over 43.0 innings owns a 7.16 ERA.
SPEEDY SMILEY
Sophomore transfer outfielder Kendall Smiley is among the nation's leaders in triples this season with five to her name just over a month into the season. Smiley ranks No. 4 nationally and leads the B1G in triples this season.
Five triples are already the eighth most for a single season in program history. No Spartans has tallied five or more triples since 2021 when Jenae Wash finished the season with five (40 games).
Smiley joined the Spartans from Alabama State where she hit .395 over 57 appearances, including .434 in SWAC action. She was named First Team All-SWAC as a freshman.
SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH MINNESOTA, BATTLES NORTHWESTERN IN OKC
Michigan State went 1-3 at the first-ever B1G x OKC series last week in Oklahoma City, taking down Minnesota (13-11) and dropping a pair of tight knit one-run contests to Minnesota (6-5) and Northwestern (8-7) before falling in the final game of the weekend to the Wildcats (9-2).
The Spartans got impressive performances all week long from several hitters, led by junior Hannah Hawley's .545 batting average, .737 on-base percentage and 1.182 slugging percentage. Hawley led the team with six RBI on six hits, three of which went for extra-bases (two home runs, one double). She drew six walks and was hit-by-pitch twice.
As a team MSU was patient at the plate all weekend finishing with a .443 on-base percentage on .297 hitting. Sophomore Hannah Greer hit .500 (5-for-10) with two walks, and freshman Ava Coffinger hit .400 (4-for-10) with two walks.
GREAT GREER
Sophomore Hannah Greer is making the most of her first season as a Spartan entering the week slashing .341/.423/.614 to rank second on the team behind Hannah Hawley with a 1.037 OPS.
Over the last two weeks Greer leads the team with a .500 average along with a team-high 8 RBIs and no strikeouts. A transfer from Pitt, Greer started in just six games for the Panthers in 2024.
Players Mentioned
2B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
3B/C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
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