Michigan State Softball Sweeps First Day Of FIU Tournament

Feb. 27, 2004

MIAMI, Fla. - Michigan State softball picked up its first single-day sweep of the season in Friday's action at the Florida International Tournament in Miami, as the Spartans defeated Stony Brook 9-0 in five innings and took the second game, 4-1, from Maryland. Junior left fielder Victoria Morache was 6-6 at the plate for MSU with four runs scored. MSU is now 5-3 on the season. Stony Brook falls to 0-1, while Maryland's record moves to 3-3 overall.

"I'm really pleased that we were able to put together back-to-back wins," said head coach Jacquie Joseph. "Christy McGrew had a good win in our first game, and we were able to beat a very good Maryland team and pitcher. We hit the ball extremely well today."

State totaled 11 hits in the first game, including doubles from Brittney Green, Jessica Beech and Morache and a Dayna Feenstra triple.

The Spartans scored in the bottom of the first, as Natalie Furrow drove in Green, who was hit by a pitch in the leadoff at bat. MSU erupted in the next inning, as Green doubled and Feenstra's triple drove in three of the Spartans' five runs. State put three runs across in the third inning, thanks in part to two Stony Brook errors. The 9-0, five-inning win was the Spartans' first shortened contest of the season.

McGrew, a freshman pitcher, scattered four hits and struck out seven over 5.0 innings of play against Stony Brook to pick up her first collegiate win and move her overall record to 1-1.

Against Maryland, State allowed the Terrapins to score in the bottom of the second on a solo home run from Casey Leiter. MSU took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning as Beech drove in both Green and Morache on a double. The score remained at 2-1 until the top of the seventh inning, when the Spartans sent two across the plate. MSU took the game, 4-1.

Beech allowed one run on three hits and one hit batter in seven innings of work. She moved her record to 4-2 on the season.

State faces host Florida International in a 1:30 p.m. game Saturday before moving to bracket play later Saturday evening.