Spartans Drop Saturday Game, Series to Michigan

Saturday, May 2

East Lansing, Mich.

5 PM

Michigan State University

17-33, 0

Michigan

32-19, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Michigan	0	1	2	0	5	1	9	9	0
Michigan State	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	3

Natalia Kenyatta with a base hit at Secchia Stadium

5/2/2026 6:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan earned a 9-1 victory over Michigan State on Saturday in six innings. The Wolverines earn the series win with victories today and on Friday (6-1).

The Wolverines, for the second straight day, earned the victory in large part due to extra-base hits. Michigan hit three home runs on Friday and two more today (both in the fifth inning) to blow open a 3-1 game. UM, which also had two doubles and a triple in today's contest, is now 32-19, and 10-13 in Big Ten play. The Spartans fall to 17-33, (3-19 B1G).

Wolverine pitcher Gabby Ellis struck out two and limited Michigan State to just two hits on the day – one being Natalia Kenyatta's solo homer in the bottom of the third inning. She threw a six-inning complete game, striking out two and walking one. Ella Stephenson led Michigan at the plate with four RBI, going 2-for-3 with a homer and a double.

Big swing, better celly.

That's the first career home run for sophomore Natalia Kenyatta! pic.twitter.com/M3StO5VvA6
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) May 2, 2026

The Spartans committed three errors on the day, but also turned a pair of double plays – their 21^st and 22^nd of the season to pull into a tie for third place for DP's in a season. Kenyatta and Britain Beshears had MSU's base hits on the day.

The series finale will be played on Sunday at 12 noon – the final regular-season game for both teams. The Spartans will honor their senior class (Britain Beshears, Kirsten Caravaca, Sydney Doloszycki, and Hannah Hawley) in a pregame story.

NOTEWORTHY

Sophomore Natalia Kenyatta hit her first career home run in the bottom of the third.
Kirsten Caravaca gunned down Lauren Putz attempting to steal second in the top of the first, her 11^th runner caught stealing this season.
Michigan State turned its 21^st double play of the season in the fifth inning, and its 22^nd in the top of the sixth. It is tied for the third-most for the Spartans in a season behind its 27 in 2015, 23 in 1996, and also had 22 in 1999.

SCORING SUMMARIES

The Wolverines manufactured a run in the top of the second. Jenissa Conway walked and Lilly Vallimont worked a 13-pitch at-bat before being hit by a pitch. A fly ball advanced the runners, and a ground ball to short scored Conway for a 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, Lauren Putz walked and came around to score on a Ella Stephenson double to left center, the first hit of the day for either team. Conway followed with a single that scored Stephenson to make it 3-0.
Natalia Kenyatta hit her first career home run to lead off the bottom of the third inning. Hannah Greer followed with a walk but was stranded.
Michigan doubled its runs in the top of the fifth on a three-run homer by Stephenson after back-to-back singles by Langford and Putz. Conway followed with a double, and Vallimont hit UM's third homer of the day to make it 8-1.
A leadoff triple in the top of the sixth by Janelle Ilacqua set up Michigan's final run, as she was brought home on an RBI single by Erin Hoehn.