Michigan State University
East Tenn St
Spartan Softball Drops Heartbreaker To East Tennessee State
3/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 15, 2003
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Michigan State softball team dropped a heartbreaking 9-6 decision to East Tennessee State on Saturday, March 15, at the Winthrop Ringor Invitational in rainy Rock Hill, S.C. Leading 6-0 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Spartans watched the Buccaneers pile up nine runs to secure the win and hand MSU its fourth straight loss.
Junior Brittany Green (Simi Valley, Calif.) and senior Sandy Lewis (Empire, Mich.) each made a trip around the bases, as Green sent her third home run of the season sailing over the center field fence and Lewis rounded the bases with a long hit to left field for her second home run of the season.
After being held scoreless for the past two games, MSU got on the board in the second inning, as junior Angel Merren (Wayland, Mich.) and sophomore Carrie Cousino (Okemos, Mich.) scored on an error by the ETSU catcher. Green led off the third inning with her homer to put the Spartans up by three.
Merren once again scored on an error, as she and Robyn Golden (Belleville, Mich.) scored in the fourth on an error by the Bucs' pitcher. Lewis added her homer to the list in the top of the sixth, a nine-run explosion by East Tennessee State in the bottom of the sixth inning dampened the Spartans' scoring efforts.
The Bucs' Sheryl Clark sent a four-run home run sailing of the left-center field fence and Miranda Byerly added another ball over the wall in the very next ETSU at-bat. Two batters later, Tiffany McVey added the fifth home run of the game to give the Bucs the lead.
The Spartans attempted to retake the lead in the top of the seventh and loaded the bases on walks by the fourth ETSU pitcher of the game. Unfortunately for Michigan State's comeback hopes, the final two batters struck out and MSU moved to 15-7 on the season.
Rain postponed the rest of Saturday's competition, so the Spartans will take on Hartford tomorrow (March 16) at the softball complex on the campus of Winthrop.
