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Mississippi St
Mississippi State Rallies To Defeat Spartan Softball, 6-2
3/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 9, 2001
TAMPA, Fla. - Mississippi State used a four-run rally in the top of the fourth inning to defeat the Michigan State softball team, 6-2, Friday morning (March 9) in day two action of the Speedline Invitational. The Spartans fall to 4-13 for the season, 2-1 in the tournament, while the Bulldogs improve to 11-10, 2-1.
Mississippi State got off to an early start, scoring an unearned run in the first on a RBI single by Jennifer Waterman, who went 3-for-4 in the game.
The Spartans came back with two runs of their own in the second on three doubles to take a 2-1 lead. Demita Clark (Sr., Detroit, Mich.) led off the inning with a double to right-center field and scored on a ground-rule double off the bat of Brittney Green (Fr., Simi Valley, Mich.). Green came around to score on a double by Andrea Goldsworthy (Jr., Royal Oak, Mich.), who hit a shot past Bulldog center fielder Kellie Wilkerson.
Iyhia McMichael, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the contest, tied the game in the third on a deep homer over the left field fence.
The Bulldogs regained the lead with four runs in the fourth on two hits and two Spartan errors. Waterman and McMichael each scored and had hits in the inning.
Michigan State then went hitless in three straight innings until the seventh, when Sandy Lewis (So., Empire, Mich.) and Angel Merren (Fr., Wayland, Mich.) each singled. With the pinch-hit single, Merren extended her hitting streak to a team-high five games.
McMichael also started on the mound for the Bulldogs, pitching a six-hit complete game for her fourth victory of the season (4-1).
Becky Gray (Jr., Burr Oak, Mich.) took the loss for Michigan State. Gray (3-5) had her run of three consecutive shutouts snapped as she gave up six runs on six hits, although only two were earned.
Keri DeJong (Jr., Portage, Mich.) pitched in relief of Gray, striking out five batters in only three innings of work.
Michigan State returns to action later Friday afternoon (March 9) to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 6 p.m. in game four of the Speedline Invitational.
Game Summary R H EMS 101 400 0- 6 7 0MSU 020 000 0- 2 6 3
WP: McMichael-MS (4-1)LP: Gray-MSU (3-5)
