Michigan State University
Maryland
MSU Softball Splits Two Games At Buzz Classic
3/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 22, 2002
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Michigan State softball team split a pair of games today during the opening day of the Buzz Classic hosted by Georgia Tech. The Spartans opened by falling to Maryland, 4-1, before rebounding to hand Elon a 3-0 loss. MSU moved to 10-16 this season after splitting the two games.
In the opening contest, MSU outhit Maryland, 5-3, but seven walks by starting pitcher Keri DeJong (Portage/Kalamazoo Christian) and an unearned run scored in the top of the first by Maryland without the benefit of a hit led to MSU's downfall. Robyn Golden (Jr., Belleville/Belleville) accounted for MSU's lone run by slugging a solo home run to straightaway centerfield in the bottom of the fourth to pull the Spartans within 2-1.
Jessica Beech (So., Okemos/Okemos) came in to pitch the final three innings in relief of DeJong, but gave up a two-run blast to the Terrapins' Malissa Moczulski in the sixth to provide the final margin. DeJong allowed only one hit and struck out four during her four innings, while Beech also struck out four and allowed two hits over the final three frames.
The Spartans scattered four singles to go with Golden's homer, including one each from juniors Margaret Shick (Grass Lake/Chelsea) and Sandy Lewis (Empire/Glen Lake) and sophomores Natalie Furrow (San Diego, Calif./Mills E. Godwin) and Angel Merren (Wayland/Wayland Union).
In game two, Golden hit her second home run of the day, and sixth of the season, to give MSU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Spartans added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch-runner Kim Strauch (Fr., Durand/Corruna) and Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) pulled off a double steal, and when the throw to third sailed into left fielde, Strauch scored. Lewis followed by stretching a single to right center into a double, scoring Gray.
Gray pitched five scoreless innings of three-hit ball to improve to 5-7 for MSU. Beech relieved Gray after a leadoff single in the sixth, and promptly induced a double play ground ball. Beech went on to pitch two perfect innings to collect her first save of the year.
Michigan State will meet Western Kentucky and North Caroline tomorrow in the second day of the Buzz Classic. A single-elimination tournament featuring the 12 top teams from the field of 24 will also begin tomorrow night.
Game Summaries:
Game One Summary R H EMARY 100 102 0- 4 3 2MSU 000 100 0- 1 5 2
WP: Bettker-Maryland (7-5)LP: DeJong-MSU (2-4)
Game Two Summary R H EEC 000 000 0- 0 3 2MSU 000 102 X- 3 6 1
WP: Gray-MSU (5-7)LP: Courtney-Elon (0-3)
