Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Arizona St
Softball Blanked By No. 6 Arizona State, 4-0
2/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 24, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ga. - The No. 6 Arizona State Sun Devils defeated the Michigan State softball team, 4-0, Saturday night (Feb. 24) in the bronze medal bracket at the NFCA Classic. MSU's record falls to 0-9, 0-4 in the tournament, while ASU improves to 12-4. This is the third time Arizona State has defeated the Spartans this season.
ASU jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first on four hits. MSU starter Becky Gray (Jr., Burr Oak, Mich.) shut the Devils down the next two innings before they scored an unearned run on two Spartan errors in the fourth.
Arizona State added a run in the sixth on a solo homer by Missy Hixon, increasing the lead to 4-0.
Michigan State had its only two hits of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Amanda Melton (Jr., Saugus, Calif.) and Brittney Green (Fr., Simi Valley, Calif.) each singled, but ASU starter Erika Beach halted the Spartan rally with her fourth strikeout to end the game.
Beach (8-2) went the distance for the Sun Devils, while Gray also pitched a complete game. Gray (0-4) allowed four runs, scattering nine hits and striking out four.
Michigan State returns to action tomorrow morning (Feb. 25) at 9:00 a.m. to face Massachusetts in the consolation round of the bronze medal bracket.
Game Summary R H EASU 200 101 0- 4 9 1MSU 000 000 0- 0 2 2
WP: Beach-ASU (8-2)LP: Gray-MSU (0-4)
