Michigan State University
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Western Mich
Western Michigan Defeats Spartan Softball In 12 Innings, 1-0
5/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Heather Frederick hit an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning to score the game-winning run as Western Michigan defeated the Michigan State softball team, 1-0 in 12 innings, Thursday afternoon (May 2) at Old College Field on the MSU campus. MSU falls to 24-33 on the season, while WMU improves to 21-20.
With the game scoreless after 11 innings, the tiebreaker rule went into effect, which places a runner on second base at the beginning of each inning. WMU's Kelly Barnett started at second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Frederick's single one batter later.
Michigan State threatened to score with a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the 12th, but a flyout ended the game.
Leah Seffernick (8-9) threw a complete-game shutout for the Broncos, scattering seven hits on four strikeouts in the win. Jessica Beech (So., Okemos/Okemos), who relieved MSU starter Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) in the 10th, got the loss for the Spartans. Beech (8-9) allowed one hit and one run in 2 1/3 innings.
Gray struck out seven batters and allowed five hits in 9 2/3 innings of work. She now has 405 career strikeouts, which is only four away from becoming MSU's all-time leader.
Two Spartan records were set in the game, however, as Sandy Lewis (Jr., Empire/Glen Lake) and Margaret Schick (Jr., Grass Lake/Chelsea) set new marks in an MSU season for sacrifices and stolen bases, respectively. Lewis had her 21st sacrifice of the year in the third, while Schick stole her 28th stolen base in the fourth.
Western Michigan appeared to score the go-ahead run on a single with two outs in the 10th, but the run was called back because the runner missed third base.
MSU left eight runners on base in the game and stranded five in scoring position.
Michigan State returns to action Saturday, May 4 to face No. 11 Michigan for a single game at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, beginning at 2 p.m.
Game Summary R H EWMU 000 000 000 001- 1 6 0MSU 000 000 000 000- 0 7 1
WP: Seffernick-WMU (8-9)LP: Beech-MSU (8-9)
