Spartans Hold Off Villanova, 9-8

Saturday, February 14

Charlotte, NC

12:30 PM

Michigan State University

6-2

Villanova

0-10

Villanova

Michigan St

2/14/2026 3:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State's bats got hot in the late innings and helped MSU hold off Villanova, 9-8, in the second day of action at the Queen City Classic at Charlotte. The Spartans, receiving votes in all four national polls this week, are now 6-2 on the season.

Each player in MSU's starting lineup recorded a hit in the game, with only Kirsten Caravaca delivering two along with an RBI. Hannah Hawley, Sophia Grillo, and Britain Beshears all homered, and freshman Zoie Bernard was 1-for-3 with a triple.

MSU scored four runs in the fifth and sixth innings, and Carsyn Cassady shut down the Wildcats in the circle after a ninth-inning homer brought them within 9-8. She got a pair of strikeouts and a fly ball to retire the side and earn her second save of the season.

MSU goes back to work with a 5:30 pm game against host Charlotte.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

Hannah Hawley and Sophia Grillo hit third-inning homers and both finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Britain Beshears was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. Her hit was a sixth-inning homer.
Kirsten Caravaca went 2-for- with an RBI,
Jacey Schuler threw 3.1 innings to earn the win, relieving Autumn Behlke in the third. Carsyn Cassady got the save after entering in the seventh. Schuler struck out five and walked two, while Cassady had a pair of K's.

NOTABLES

The Spartans tied their season high in runs and RBI (9) as well as walks (5), and established a new season best in hits (10). MSU's three homers on the day matched its season total through its first seven games.
Seven of MSU's 10 hits on the day went for extra bases – three doubles, a Bernard triple, and homers by Hawley, Beshears, and Grillo.
MSU had its second error-free game of the season. MSU has not committed more than two in any single game and has 10 on the year in eight games.
Zoie Bernard's second-inning triple was her third of the season.
Beshears and Hawley homered in the same game for the second time this season. Each now has 26 career home runs, which is tied for fifth all-time at MSU. It was Beshears' second round-tripper of the season, and Hawley's third.
Kirsten Caravaca recorded her second multiple-hit game of the weekend. She also went 2-for-3 against Virginia Tech.
Carsyn Cassady picked up her second save of the weekend.

SCORING RECAPS

After the Spartans stranded two in the opening frame (A Sydney Doloszcycki single and a Britain Beshears walk), the Spartans started off quickly in the second. Hannah Greer led off the inning with a walk, and Kirsten Caravaca followed with a double to left center. A Kendall Smiley base hit put runners at the corners and plated Greer for the first run of the game. Caravaca was out at home on a double steal attempt that moved Smiley to second, and Smiley came around to score on a triple by Bernard.
The Wildcats fought their way onto the scoreboard in the top of the third on four singles, plating the second run with two outs and two on. Jacey Schuler came on to pitch and coaxed a popout to second to end the inning. MSU countered with a three-run home half of the frame, with a leadoff solo homer by Hannah Hawley, a walk by Beshears, and a two-run shot by Grillo to push MSU back into the lead, 5-2.
Schuler gave up a walk and a single to lead off the fifth but got the next two outs via strikeout. A hit batter loaded the bases for Katie Reed, who homered to empty the bases and put the Wildcats back on top, 6-5. The Spartans responded immediately, as Caravaca followed Hannah Greer's double with a single up the middle to tie the game at 6-6
In the home half of the sixth, MSU sent two more across on a leadoff double by Payton Conroy and a walk by Bernard. A wild pitch put them both in scoring position, and back-to-back sac flies by Doloszycki and Hawley put the Spartans up 8-6. Beshears followed with a solo shot to left for a 9-6 lead. A walk and a homer in the top of the seventh brought the Wildcats within one, but Cassady got the next three batters in order to end the game and secure the save.