Michigan State University
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Shuts Out Spartan Softball, 1-0
4/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Wisconsin shut out the Michigan State softball team, 1-0, snapping MSU's nine-game winning streak Friday afternoon (April 12) at Old College Field on the MSU campus. MSU falls to 20-22 (3-4 Big Ten) for the season, while Wisconsin improves to 22-13 (5-4 BT).
Wisconsin scored the game's lone run in the top of the third on a Kerry Hagen RBI single that brought home Sheena Padovan. Hagen was thrown out at third on the play, but her RBI was the only run that Badger starting pitcher Andrea Kirchberg needed. Kirchberg earned her 14th win of the season (14-10), allowing five hits and striking out eight in the complete game effort.
The Spartans threatened to score in the game's final two innings, but left a runner on third in each occasion. MSU had runners on second and third with one out in the sixth, but Kirchberg silenced the bats of Natalie Furrow (So., San Diego, Calif./Mills E. Godwin) and Robyn Golden (Jr., Belleville/Belleville) to end the inning. In the seventh, Brittney Green (So., Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley) led off with a double that hit the top of the wall. Lauren Pedersen (Fr., Portage/Northern) then pinch ran for Green, and advanced to third with one out on a Kirchberg wild pitch. However, Kirchberg got the next two batters out to end the game.
Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) allowed only three hits but still took the loss for the Spartans. Gray (9-11) threw her 11th complete game of the season and 40th of her career, which moves her up eighth-place all-time at MSU.
Michigan State returns to action tomorrow (Saturday, April 12) to face Wisconsin for a single game at Old College Field, beginning at 1 p.m.
Game SummaryR H EWIS 001 000 0- 1 3 2MSU 000 000 0- 0 5 0
WP: Kirchberg-WIS (14-10)LP: Gray-MSU (9-11)
