Michigan State University
Iowa
MSU Softball Pounds No. 21 Iowa, 7-1
4/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team moved into a tie for first place in the Big Ten with a convincing 7-1 win over Iowa Sunday at Old College Field. The Spartans improved to 24-9 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten to tie Iowa for the conference lead. The Hawkeyes, who are ranked No. 21 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll, fell to 25-8 overall and 4-1 in the league.
Game two of the scheduled doubleheader was cancelled due to the cold. The temperature was holding near 28 degrees with a wind chill of 19 degrees, and the 2-hour and 10-minute first game was enough time in the bitter cold for both teams.
Junior Angel Merren (Wayland) led MSU's 12-hit attack by pounding a pair of home runs in her first two at bats. Merren had never homered in 296 previous at-bats during her career. Merren's blasts highlighted seven extra-base hits by the Spartans, who lit up Iowa's top two pitchers during the game.
Junior Jessica Beech (Okemos) won her eighth-straight decision to improve to 17-3 this season. Beech settled down after a rough start, allowing just six hits, one run and no walks while striking out eight. Beech retired the last 11 Iowa batters during the game, striking out six of the 11 hitters including all three Hawkeye batters in the seventh inning.
Iowa got on the board first, collecting three hits in the top of the first inning including a triple and a double, but Beech got out of the inning with just one run allowed.
Michigan State answered right back in the bottom of the first, when junior Brittney Green (Simi Valley, Calif.) led off with a double down the left field line, and scored on a double to right-center by senior Sandy Lewis (Empire).
MSU jumped on top in the second inning. With one out, sophomore Janette Hurtado (Rowland Heights, Calif.) singled to right field, and Merren followed with an opposite field shot over the left-center field wall to put the Spartans ahead, 3-1.
Two innings later, Merren led off with her second home run of the game, this one pulled over the right field fence, putting Michigan State up 4-1.
Michigan State put the game away in the sixth inning. Green led off with a walk, and one out later, scored on a double to center field by junior Natalie Furrow (San Diego, Calif.). Senior Tiffany Wallace (Wildomar, Calif.) put the icing on the cake with a home run to right field - her third of the season - to make the score 7-1.
Four Spartans had two hits each, including Merren, Lewis, Furrow and senior Lacy Hauxhurst (Westminster, Calif.), who missed a home run to center field by inches in the sixth inning, settling for a double.
MSU also played solid defense, playing its third straight game without an error. Hurtado had five assists and four putouts at second base, making several sparkling plays.
Michigan State will host Oakland for a doubleheader Wednesday (April 9) beginning at 3:30 p.m.
