Michigan State University
Minnesota
MSU Softball Blanked At Minnesota
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2003
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Michigan State softball team suffered its worst defeat of the season while dropping its second-straight game at Minnesota, falling to the Gophers, 9-0, Saturday afternoon. The loss dropped MSU's record to 24-11 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten, while Minnesota improved to 29-11-1 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten.
Minnesota slugged three home runs in the first three innings and had 13 hits while MSU managed just five hits all game. The game was just the sixth this season - and the first since March 15 - in which MSU pitchers allowed more than three runs in a game. It was also the first time this season that Michigan State has lost a game by more than three runs.
Minnesota's Jordanne Nygren, the Big Ten's all-time home run leader who hit a two-run homer to win yesterday's game, led off the game with a solo shot over the leftcenterfield wall. Two outs later, Shelly Nichols lofted a two-run home run to rightcenter to put the Gophers on top, 3-0.
Michigan State had its first threat in the bottom of the second inning, after back-to-back two-out singles by senior Lacy Hauxhurst (Westminster, Calif.) and sophomore Janette Hurtado (Rowland Heights, Calif.). But junior Angel Merren (Wayland, Mich.) grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Nichols struck again for Minnesota in the top of the third, belting another two-run shot, this time to center field, to make the score 5-0 in favor of the Gophers.
Minnesota would go on to add single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and a pair of runs in the sixth.
MSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with two outs, but junior Natalie Furrow (San Diego, Calif.) hit a line drive right at the Minnesota third baseman to retire the side.
Senior Tiffany Wallace (Wildomar, Calif.) had a double, extending her hitting streak to seven games, while four other MSU players had one single each.
Michigan State will visit Wisconsin Sunday in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
