Friday, March 30
East Lansing, Mich.
1:00 PM ET
Indiana University
11-21, 4-0
3
at
2
Michigan State
13-16, 1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Indiana
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
3
7
1
Michigan State
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
9
1
Hoosiers Continue Hot Big Ten Start, Take DH at Michigan State
3/30/2018 8:37:00 PM | Softball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Indiana Softball extended its win streak to six games on Friday as the Hoosiers swept a doubleheader against Michigan State, winning each game by a score of 3-2. The Hoosiers now sit at 5-0 in Big Ten play, leading the conference.
"It was a great day as far as clutch hitting and swiping the next 60 feet," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "That was the difference for us. We played clean defense, made the plays when we needed to and had some big pitches."
Indiana 3, Michigan State 2
Indiana saw multi-hit games from senior Rebecca Blitz, sophomore Gabbi Jenkins and freshman Maddie Westmoreland, as well as a complete game performance from junior Tara Trainer to earn a 3-2 victory in the series opener.
Trainer struck out nine Spartans on the way to her sixth win of the year.
Blitz stole a pair of bases in the win while freshman Makayla Ferrari tied her career high by swiping three bags.
IU jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first as Blitz singled through the left side, then stole second to move into scoring position. Westmoreland then brought her home on a single to shallow right field to give Indiana 1-0 lead. The Hoosiers threated to add on as Ferrari reached on a fielding error and senior Rachel O'Malley drew a two-out walk, but a strikeout limited the damage.
The Spartans looked to answer right back as they loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first before a long flyout to freshman Taylor Lambert in left stranded the runners.
Michigan State put the next baserunners on for either team in the third on a hit batter and single by Kaitlyn Eveland. However, Trainer worked out of danger on a pop-up and strikeout.
Kelcey Carrasco tied things up for the Spartans to start the fourth as she knocked a solo homer. After Melanie Baccay tripled to right, she was brought in on a double by Lea Foerster to give MSU a 2-1 lead.
However, IU would quickly respond in the following frame, plating a pair of runs on three hits. After senior Taylor Uden singled up the middle, she scored on a triple by Jenkins to center. It marked Jenkins' fourth triple of the season. A single by Westmoreland brought Jenkins in to give Indiana the 3-2 lead.
"In game one, Tara wasn't as sharp as usual but she pitched well enough and delivered in the moments we needed," said Stanton. "Maddie had some clutch hits and we were able to swipe bases and that was the difference in us being able to score runs."
Indiana 3, Michigan State 2
A three-run fifth inning proved to be the difference for the Hoosiers in the final game of the day. Indiana again saw multi-hit performances from Blitz and Westmoreland. Sophomore Emily Goodin earned the win for Indiana as she went 5.1 innings, striking out six Spartans.
IU put two aboard early as Jenkins and Lacefield drew walks in the opening inning, however both were left stranded on a strikeout.
The Spartans' led off the home half of the first with a solo shot by Lea Foerster to right center to make it 1-0.
Senior Aimilia McDonough led off the fourth with a pinch hit double to center, marking the first Hoosier hit of the game, but was left there.
Following an outstanding defensive play by Blitz on a diving catch to end the fourth, Indiana broke through offensively in the fifth, plating three runs. After Lambert singled through the right side, Jenkins reached via a Spartan fielding error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The MSU error allowed Lambert to move all the way to third. Indiana got on the board as Blitz singled to left to score Lambert. The inning was capped by a two-run single by Westmoreland to bring Jenkins and Blitz home.
"Through the first four innings, we didn't really do much offensively and it was about staying the course," said Stanton. "That's what I'm most proud of from this group. Mentally, we're competing and understanding it's not circumstantial. Any point in time you can break something open and we saw it in this ballgame. Lambert starts off the single, we steal a couple bases then clutch up with the big hit and score some runs."
Michigan State followed up Indiana's big inning by knocking back-to-back singles in the bottom of the frame before drawing a walk to load the bags. Goodin responded by picking up a huge strikeout to leave them loaded.
The Spartans did get one back in the seventh as Foerster knocked her second solo homer of the day in the seventh to make it 3-2. McKenzie Long then singled to left before reliever Josie Wood picked up the first out on a strikeout. Goodin then re-entered the game and quickly collected two outs to secure the victory.
"Emily gave us a really good outing and Josie picked up some big outs for us before Emily re-entered and slammed the door shut," said Stanton.
The Hoosiers and Spartans will close out the series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
"It was a great day as far as clutch hitting and swiping the next 60 feet," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "That was the difference for us. We played clean defense, made the plays when we needed to and had some big pitches."
Indiana 3, Michigan State 2
Indiana saw multi-hit games from senior Rebecca Blitz, sophomore Gabbi Jenkins and freshman Maddie Westmoreland, as well as a complete game performance from junior Tara Trainer to earn a 3-2 victory in the series opener.
Trainer struck out nine Spartans on the way to her sixth win of the year.
Blitz stole a pair of bases in the win while freshman Makayla Ferrari tied her career high by swiping three bags.
IU jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first as Blitz singled through the left side, then stole second to move into scoring position. Westmoreland then brought her home on a single to shallow right field to give Indiana 1-0 lead. The Hoosiers threated to add on as Ferrari reached on a fielding error and senior Rachel O'Malley drew a two-out walk, but a strikeout limited the damage.
The Spartans looked to answer right back as they loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first before a long flyout to freshman Taylor Lambert in left stranded the runners.
Michigan State put the next baserunners on for either team in the third on a hit batter and single by Kaitlyn Eveland. However, Trainer worked out of danger on a pop-up and strikeout.
Kelcey Carrasco tied things up for the Spartans to start the fourth as she knocked a solo homer. After Melanie Baccay tripled to right, she was brought in on a double by Lea Foerster to give MSU a 2-1 lead.
However, IU would quickly respond in the following frame, plating a pair of runs on three hits. After senior Taylor Uden singled up the middle, she scored on a triple by Jenkins to center. It marked Jenkins' fourth triple of the season. A single by Westmoreland brought Jenkins in to give Indiana the 3-2 lead.
"In game one, Tara wasn't as sharp as usual but she pitched well enough and delivered in the moments we needed," said Stanton. "Maddie had some clutch hits and we were able to swipe bases and that was the difference in us being able to score runs."
Indiana 3, Michigan State 2
A three-run fifth inning proved to be the difference for the Hoosiers in the final game of the day. Indiana again saw multi-hit performances from Blitz and Westmoreland. Sophomore Emily Goodin earned the win for Indiana as she went 5.1 innings, striking out six Spartans.
IU put two aboard early as Jenkins and Lacefield drew walks in the opening inning, however both were left stranded on a strikeout.
The Spartans' led off the home half of the first with a solo shot by Lea Foerster to right center to make it 1-0.
Senior Aimilia McDonough led off the fourth with a pinch hit double to center, marking the first Hoosier hit of the game, but was left there.
Following an outstanding defensive play by Blitz on a diving catch to end the fourth, Indiana broke through offensively in the fifth, plating three runs. After Lambert singled through the right side, Jenkins reached via a Spartan fielding error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The MSU error allowed Lambert to move all the way to third. Indiana got on the board as Blitz singled to left to score Lambert. The inning was capped by a two-run single by Westmoreland to bring Jenkins and Blitz home.
"Through the first four innings, we didn't really do much offensively and it was about staying the course," said Stanton. "That's what I'm most proud of from this group. Mentally, we're competing and understanding it's not circumstantial. Any point in time you can break something open and we saw it in this ballgame. Lambert starts off the single, we steal a couple bases then clutch up with the big hit and score some runs."
Michigan State followed up Indiana's big inning by knocking back-to-back singles in the bottom of the frame before drawing a walk to load the bags. Goodin responded by picking up a huge strikeout to leave them loaded.
The Spartans did get one back in the seventh as Foerster knocked her second solo homer of the day in the seventh to make it 3-2. McKenzie Long then singled to left before reliever Josie Wood picked up the first out on a strikeout. Goodin then re-entered the game and quickly collected two outs to secure the victory.
"Emily gave us a really good outing and Josie picked up some big outs for us before Emily re-entered and slammed the door shut," said Stanton.
The Hoosiers and Spartans will close out the series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Trainer, Tara (6-11)
L: K Zalewski (4-6)
Batting:
3B: Jenkins, Gabbi 1
RBI: Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Westmoreland, Maddie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Blitz, Rebecca 1 ; Uden, Taylor 1
SB: Blitz, Rebecca 2 ; Ferrari, Makayla 3
CS: Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Ferrari, Makayla 1
Batting:
2B: L Foerster 2
3B: M Baccay 1
HR: K Carrasco 1
RBI: L Foerster 1 ; K Carrasco 1
Base Running:
RUNS: K Carrasco 1 ; M Baccay 1
HBP: L Foerster 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballC/IF
/ Softball
P
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