Michigan State University
Minnesota (DH)
Minnesota Sweeps Spartan Softball
4/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 14, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Minnesota swept the Michigan State softball team in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon (April 14) at Old College Field on the MSU campus. The Gophers took game one, 2-0, and won game two, 3-0. MSU falls to 20-25 (3-7 Big Ten) for the season, while the Gophers improve to 28-15 (5-5 BT).
In the opener, Minnesota starting pitcher Piper Marten held the Spartans to one hit and struck out nine en route to her 17th victory of the year in the 2-0 shutout win. The Gophers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a Veronica Roberts RBI triple. In the fourth, Minnesota added a run when Anne Thul hit her fourth homer of the year.
MSU's lone hit came in the sixth on a Sandy Lewis (Jr., Glen Lake/Empire) single to center field.
Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) started and tossed a complete game for the Spartans in the loss. Gray (9-12) surrendered two runs on five hits and five strikeouts.
The Spartans were also shut out in game two, as Angie Recknor and Marten teamed up to beat MSU, 3-0. Recknor (10-6) started the game, striking out two and scattering four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Marten came in relief when MSU threatened to score with two runners on in the top of the fifth. She proceeded to get out of the jam and went on to close the game without allowing a base runner the final 2 1/3 innings.
After the first three innings went scoreless, the Gophers came alive in the bottom of the fourth as a Hailee Nancy single brought home two runs for a 2-0 lead. Anne Thul had an RBI single in the fifth that extended Minnesota's lead to three runs.
MSU's best opportunity score came in the top of the first. A walk and two hits loaded the bases for the Spartans, but a groundout to the pitcher ended the scoring threat. The remainder of the game, MSU only put two runners in scoring position.
MSU starting pitcher Keri DeJong (Sr., Portage/Kalamazoo Christian) gave up three runs on four hits, but walked seven in the complete game loss (3-6).
Michigan State returns to action Tuesday, April 16 to face Oakland in a doubleheader at Rochester, Mich., beginning at 4 p.m.
Game Summaries
Game One R H EMINN 010 100 0- 2 5 0MSU 000 000 0- 0 1 2
WP: Marten-MINN (17-9)LP: Gray-MSU (9-12)
Game Two
R H EMSU 000 000 0- 0 4 1MINN 000 210 0- 3 4 0
WP: Recknor-MINN (10-6)LP: DeJong-MSU (3-6)SV: Marten-MINN (4)
