Michigan State University
Northwestern
Softball Splits With Northwestern
4/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2000
Evanston, IL - The Michigan State softball team split a doubleheader with Northwestern today in Evanston, Ill., dropping game one by a score of 5-4 and coming back to win the nightcap, 2-1 in eight innings. The win in game two snapped a three-game losing streak for the Spartans, who are 27-19 overall and 5-6 in the Big Ten.
The Spartans gave up four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in game one, blowing a three-run lead in the game. MSU scored two runs on wild pitches, while another pair of runs crossed the plate on two RBI singles by sophomore Tiffany Thomas.
Starting pitcher Keri DeJong had a no-hitter going until the fourth inning when she gave up a solo home run to Brooke Siebel. Siebel delivered another big hit in the seventh when she singled to left field to bring home a pair of runs to make it 4-3 Spartans.
Sophomore Becky Gray came in to relieve DeJong with bases loaded and just one out. The first batter she faced, Tami Jones beat out a grounder to shortstop bringing home Erin Jancic with the tying run. Gray then walked Alyson Schulz on four-straight pitches to bring Siebel home with the winning run.
DeJong suffered the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. She walked eight and struck out five to fall to 13-9 on the season. Thomas led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI.
In game two, MSU came out and scored a run in the bottom of the first inning when Stacey Phillips singled to left field and the ball was mishandled allowing Tiffany Thomas to score from second.
Northwestern tied the score in the top of third inning when Rane Gunderson scored from third on a throwing error by third baseman Robyn Golden.
Starting pitcher Erica Strutz retired the final 15 batters of the game to give the Spartans the chance to win the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning. Senior Carrie Fry opened the eighth with a walk, advanced to second on a ground out by Stacey Phillips and moved to third on a wild pitch. Fry tallied the winning run on a passed ball.
Strutz collected her first win since March 29 to improve to 10-4 on the season. She gave up just three hits, walked one and struck out three.
The Spartans will play single games against Iowa on Saturday at Sunday to close out a four-game conference road swing.
