Michigan State University
Miami Ohio
Spartan Softball Grounds The RedHawks With A Pair Of Wins
3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 22, 2003
OXFORD, Ohio - The Michigan State softball team got back on the winning track with a pair of impressive victories against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, March 22, at the Miami Softball Field in Oxford, Ohio. Highlighted by a pair of Tiffany Wallace (Wildomar, Calif.) home runs, the Spartans won the day's first contest by an 8-0 margin in six innings. In the nightcap, Michigan State hung on to defeat the RedHawks, 6-3, in eight innings. With the victories, the Spartans move to 17-7 on the season.
Freshman Elizabeth Peterson (Riverside, Calif.) opened the scoring with her second career home run and Wallace followed with her first homer of the season to give the Spartans a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Michigan State continued the scoring in the second inning, as Angel Merren(Wayland, Mich.), Margaret Schick(Grass Lake, Mich.) and Brittney Green (Simi Valley, Calif.) all scored.
Wallace blasted her second home run of the day in the third inning and Natalie Furrow (San Diego, Calif.) slugged her first homer of the season in the sixth inning. Jessica Beech (Okemos, Calif.) scored on a fielder's choice to give Michigan State the eight-run advantage. Beech also spent six innings on the pitching mound for MSU, striking out seven batters and not allowing a single walk.
The second game between the Spartans and the RedHawks was a matching game as the RedHawks had an answer for every MSU score. Leadoff hitter Green scored in the top of the first inning, but Miami (Ohio) evened it up in the bottom. After two scoreless innings from both dugouts, the Spartans added a pair of runs in the fourth when Janette Hurtado (Rowland Heights, Calif.) doubled to score Beech and Furrow. The RedHawks had two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Two more scoreless innings saw the seven innings of regulation play end in a 3-3 deadlock.
MSU put the game away in the first extra inning of play as Carrie Cousino (Okemos, Mich.) scored on a single by Lacy Hauxhurst (Westminster, Calif.) and Beech crossed home plate on a throwing error by the RedHawks' firstbaseman. Hauxhurst scored on a single by Green to put the third run of the inning on the scoreboard. For the first time of the game, the RedHawks had no answer and the Spartans claimed the victory. Beech earned the victory on the mound to move to 11-3 on the season. In 18 batters faced, Beech allowed just two hits, while striking out four.
The Spartans return to action tomorrow for a noon double-header with Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
