Michigan State University
Elon
Softball Splits Games At Elon Tournament
2/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 23, 2002
ELON, N.C. - The Michigan State softball team (1-5) split its two games at the Elon Tournament Saturday afternoon (Feb. 23). MSU won its first game of the season with a 7-0 triumph over Elon in game one, but fell to UNC-Greensboro, 1-0, in game two.
Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) struck out a MSU single-game record 13 batters and only gave up three hits en route to her 12th career shutout in the win over Elon (0-8). The shutout moved Gray (1-2) into a tie for fifth-place all-time at MSU with Erica Strutz. The previous single-game strikeout record was 12, which Stephanie Noffsinger did twice in her career from 1995-98. Gray's 251 career strikeouts rank fifth on the all-time charts.
Offensively, the Spartans had their best showing of the year, as nine different players had a total of 10 hits while scoring seven runs. Amanda Melton (Sr., Saugus, Calif./Saugus) put MSU on the board early with a two-run single in the first. In the second, Robyn Golden (Jr., Romulus/Belleville) blasted a solo shot over the left field fence for her second homer of the season.
MSU was silenced the next two innings but cut loose for four runs in the fifth. Tiffany Wallace (Jr., Wildomar, Calif./Pacifica), who went 2-for-3 in the game, led the charge with a single to left-center. Jessica Beech (So., Okemos/Okemos) then blooped a double down the left field line, scoring pinch-runner Lauren Pedersen (Fr., Portage/Northern). Angel Merren (So., Wayland/Union) brought Pedersen in as she hit a triple into the right-field corner, and later scored on a double steal. Pinch-hitter Dominique Van Nortwick (Fr., San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel) rounded out the scoring in the fifth as she knocked in Melton on a single to right field.
The Spartan offensive attack was halted in the second game as Amber Watson of UNC-Greensboro (9-2) shut out MSU, 1-0. Watson limited the Spartans to five hits to earn her fourth victory of the year and hit in the game-winning run on an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Beech (0-2) struck out a career-high 11 batters in the eight-hit complete game loss.
MSU squandered several opportunities to score in the second game. The Spartans left seven runners on base, including four in the last three innings.
Michigan State returns to action tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 24) for day two of the inaugural Elon Tournament. MSU will face UNC-Greensboro at 9 a.m. and Elon at 11 a.m. at Burlington City Park.
Game One Summary R H EMSU 210 040 0- 7 10 0Elon 000 000 0- 0 3 0Spartan Notebook:
WP: Gray-MSU (1-2)LP: Courtney-ELON (0-2)Game Two Summary R H EUNCG 000 100 0- 1 8 0MSU 000 000 0- 0 5 0
WP: Watson-UNCG (4-0)LP: Beech-MSU (0-2)
?Jacquie Joseph recorded her 390th career victory today and her 254th at MSU. She is now only 10 wins away from the 400-win plateau and six away from becoming MSU's all-time winningest coach.
?Margaret Schick stole two bases today, moving her into a tie for seventh all-time at MSU with 28.
?Becky Gray's previous career high for single game strikeouts was nine. Gray struck out nine last season against Oakland and in a 1999 NCAA Regional game vs. Cornell.
?Dominique Van Nortwick recorded her first career hit and RBI in game one against Elon.
?Michigan State stole a season-high five bases in the Elon game.
?Gray now has 27 career victories, which is sixth all-time at MSU. She is four wins away from tying Diane Gentry for fifth best in MSU history.
?Gray threw the 31st complete game of her career against Elon, which is tied for 10th all-time at MSU.
?Jessica Beech's previous career high for single-game strikeouts was eight (vs. Florida International, 3/24/01).
?UNC-Greensboro's winning pitcher Amber Watson has not given up an earned run all season.
