Michigan State University
Illinois
MSU Softball Defeats Illinois At Big Ten Tournament, 6-5
5/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 9, 2003
IOWA CITY, Iowa - After being shut out over an entire 18-inning game yesterday, the Michigan State softball team made up for it by collecting a season-high 17 hits then holding on for a 6-5 victory over Illinois in a Big Ten Tournament game Friday evening. Each of MSU's first six hitters had at least two hits each, including three players with three hits. Had the Spartans not stranded 10 runners over a four-inning span and 12 for the game, the score might not have been so close.
Sophomore Stephanie Christner (Sigourney, Iowa), pitching in her home state, picked up her fifth straight win to improve to 10-5. Christner cruised through the first five innings allowing just four hits and one unearned run, before running into trouble in the sixth, giving up four runs. Junior Jessica Beech (Okemos, Mich.) pitched the final two innings, surrendering just one single, to earn her third save of the season.
"I couldn't have been prouder or our offensive output," said MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph. "Stephanie Christner came through for us when we needed her to. It was a great team effort."
Michigan State (36-16) threatened in the top of the second, when sophomore Janette Hurtado (Rowland Heights, Calif.) singled with one out and moved to second on a bunt single by Beech. An infield hit by senior Robyn Golden (Belleville, Mich.) with two outs loaded the bases, but Christner fouled out to the catcher, ending the inning.
Illinois (38-15-1) ripped a leadoff double off of Christner in the bottom of the second, and after the runner moved to third on a groundout, Chistner worked her way out of trouble by getting Erin Jones to ground out and striking out Katie O'Connell looking.
The Spartans finally scored for the first time in 21 innings during the tournament by exploding four three runs on five hits in the third. Junior Brittney Green (Simi Valley, Calif.) got things started with a leadoff single, and moved to second one out later on a single to right by junior Natalie Furrow (San Diego, Calif.). A line-drive single to left by senior Tiffany Wallace (Wildomar, Calif.) loaded the bases, and Hurtado broke the drought with an RBI single to left. Beech collected MSU's fourth straight hit with a single to center, and senior Lacy Hauxhurst (Westminster, Calif.) added a sacrifice fly to deep right field, driving home the third run of the inning.
Shoddy defense allowed Illinois to get a run back in the bottom of the third, as three MSU errors led to an unearned run. But in the top of the fourth, senior Sandy Lewis (Empire, Mich.) provided some breathing room, lofting a long two-run home run to deep right field, scoring Green, who had walked. Consecutive singles by Furrow, Wallace and Hurtado followed Lewis' home run, but the Spartans were unable to push another run across.
MSU added another run in the fourth when Green tripled off the left field wall with two outs, and scored on a single up the middle by Lewis, making the score 6-1.
It looked like the Spartans would cruise into the next round, taking the five-run cushion into the bottom of the sixth, but Illinois rallied, starting the frame with two doubles, a single and a three-run home run which closed the gap to 6-5. Beech came in in relief for Christner, and retired the next three Illinois batters, including two on strikes.
Beech allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice moved the potential tying run to second base with the heart of Illinois' order coming up. But Beech induced Jenna Hall, a first-team All-Big Ten performer, to fly out to left, and Erin Montgomer, who had two doubles already in the game, struck out for the final out.
Green, Lewis and Hurtado had three hits each for the Spartans, while Furrow, Wallace and Beech had two each. Hurtado now has seven hits in just two tournament games - one shy of the tournament record. Lewis drove in three of MSU's six runs.
Michigan State advances to play Michigan in the last game tonight, with the tentative game time scheduled for approximately 11:40 p.m. (Central time).
