Five Games On Tap in Lexington at John Cropp Invitational

Michigan State (8-6-0) at John Cropp Invitational
Dates/Location	Friday-Sunday, Feb. 27-March 1 Lexington, Ky. \| John Cropp Stadium \| Bag Policy
Tickets	Purchase Here
Games	Friday: 12:30 pm vs. Murray State \| 3 pm vs. Kentucky Saturday: 10 am vs. Murray State \| 3 pm vs. Kentucky Sunday: 11 am vs. Dayton
Webstreams	Friday vs. Kentucky \| Saturday vs. Kentucky
Live Statistics	Click Here
Game Notes	Michigan State
Social Media	Facebook X Instagram

Around the Horn
What you need to know about Spartan softball

• Michigan State goes to Kentucky for a five-game schedule at the John Cropp Invitational in Lexington. MSU battled through five games (and a flu that made its way through the team) at LSU last weekend, which included a pair of wins over Howard (6-0, 5-0) and losses to Louisiana-Lafayette (6-1) and No. 19/17 LSU twice (9-0 (5), 5-4).

• The Spartans sit at an 8-6 mark through three weekends, the best in the tenure of Sharonda McDonald-Kelley. MSU also started 8-6 in 2018 and 2022, and 10-2 in 2017.

• MSU hit .240 in its five games at LSU, but also held opponents to a season-low .235 in those games. Spartan pitchers delivered two shutouts and struck out 13; batters earned 19 walks and had 29 hits, with five doubles and 14 RBI.

• Michigan State played 11 one-run games in 2025, with a 2-9 record in those contests. The Spartans are currently 2-1 in one-run games, most recently a 5-4 loss to No. 19/17 LSU. MSU is also 7-3 when scoring first this season and 1-3 when the opponent scores first.

• The Spartans have fielded the same defensive starting lineup for 12 of 14 games to start the season; the only change was behind the plate in one game in each of the last two weekends.

• Zoie Bernard has put together an impressive collegiate debut. She owns or shares the team lead in batting average (.355), slugging percentage (.612), hits (19), runs scored (13), doubles (5), triples (3), and stolen bases (5-6). In the five games at LSU, Bernard went 8-for-18 (.444) with two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Bernard is third in the Big Ten (fourth nationally) in triples (3), ranks fourth in the league in doubles (5), seventh in stolen bases (5), and ninth in base hits (19).

• Sydney Doloszycki ranks second among Spartans in batting average (.304), with 14 base hits (three triples) and is fourth in RBI (9). She is one of six players to start every game at her position (CF) this year.

• Hannah Hawley leads the team in RBI (12), home runs (3), and sac flies (2). She is hitting .263 with 10 base hits (three doubles). She was walked six times in five games last weekend at LSU, and contributed two doubles and three RBI.

• Catcher Kirsten Caravaca has been voted a team captain in her first season at MSU. She has started 12 of 14 games behind the plate, where she has 46 putouts, five assists, and has picked off five runners, which ranks first in the Big Ten and 18th nationally.

• MSU got a pair of shutout wins over Howard last weekend, with both Jacey Schuler and freshman Alex Starr twirling MSU's first two complete games of the season. Schuler threw a two-hitter in the first matchup with Howard, earning a 6-0 victory. Starr made her first career start (seventh appearance overall) in the 5-0 win in the finale vs. Howard, scattering four hits - all singles - and striking out three.

• Carsyn Cassady is second to Schuler in total innings pitched (21.0). The pair is tied for the team lead in appearances (8) and share the staff lead in strikeouts (17). She is second in the Big Ten with two saves, which also ties her 2025 total.