Michigan State University
South Carolina
Softball Splits Games At Strawberry Cup Tournament
3/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 2, 2002
PLANT CITY, Fla. - The Michigan State softball team (3-7) split its first two games in the inaugural Plant City Strawberry Cup Tournament Saturday afternoon (March 2) at the International Softball Federation complex. MSU fell to No. 25 South Carolina, 2-1, in game one, but came back to top Ohio, 4-1, in game two.
In the second game of the afternoon, MSU used a season-high 13 hits to defeat Ohio (3-6). The offense was in full support for pitcher Jessica Beech (So., Okemos/Okemos), who tossed a complete game on seven strikeouts to earn her second victory of the year (2-2). The sophomore has now struck out 26 batters in her last 19 innings. Beech also went 3-for-3 at the plate to help her own cause.
MSU got on the board early, scoring runs in the second and third innings to build a 2-0 lead. Robyn Golden (Jr., Romulus/Belleville) had an RBI double that knocked in Janette Hurtado (Fr., Rowland Heights, Calif./Diamond Bar) in the second, while Beech had an RBI single to bring in pinch-runner Kim Strauch (Fr., Durand/Corunna) in the third.
Ohio came back with one run in the sixth, but the Spartans countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to put the game out of reach. Tiffany Wallace (Jr., Wildomar, Calif./Pacifica), who went 2-for-4, had an RBI single and Lacy Hauxhurst (Jr., Westminster, Calif./Westminster) added a sacrifice fly in the inning.
MSU wasn't as fortunate in the first game of the day, as No. 25 South Carolina (12-6) scored a controversial game-winning run with the game tied at one in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Gamecock left fielder Kim Evans hit a single to the left side of the infield. MSU shortstop Margaret Schick (Jr., Grass Lake/Chelsea) dove for the ball, but interfered with pinch-runner Nancy Crane in the process. The umpired ruled obstruction on Schick, bringing Crane home for the game-winning score. The umpired claimed that Crane would have scored if Schick had not bumped into her during the play.
The 2-1 lead was all Gamecock reliever Aleca Johnson needed, as she shut the Spartans down in the final 2.1 innings to earn the victory. Aleca Johnson (3-1) and started Stacey Johnson allowed only two hits and struck out 11 MSU batters in the game.
MSU scored its only run on a Sandy Lewis (Jr., Empire/Glen Lake) RBI single that tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth.
Spartan starter Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) gave a solid effort in the loss. Gray (1-4) tossed a complete game and only allowed one earned run on five hits and four strikeouts.
MSU returns to action for day two of the tournament tomorrow (Sunday, March 3). The Spartans will face Missouri at 11 a.m. and Pittsburgh at 1 p.m.
Game Summaries:
Game One Summary R H EMSU 000 010 0- 1 2 1USC 010 010 x- 2 5 0
WP: Gray-MSU (1-4)LP: A. Johnson-USC (3-1)
Game Two Summary R H EOhio 000 010 0- 1 6 0MSU 011 002 x- 4 13 2
WP: Beech-MSU (2-2)LP: Wood-Ohio
Spartan Notebook:
* Jacquie Joseph recorded her 392nd career victory today and her 256th at MSU. She is now only eight wins away from the 400-win plateau and four away from becoming MSU's all-time winningest coach.
