Softball Continues Winning Ways At FIU Tournament

Feb. 28, 2004

MIAMI, Fla. - Natalie Furrow went 4-6 with two doubles, a triple and two runs scored in Michigan State's two wins at the Florida International Tournament in Miami Saturday. The Spartans defeated host FIU, 2-1, and took the second game against Stony Brook, 10-2 in six innings. With a 7-3 record on the season, State moves to the tournament's championship game, played Sunday at 12:30 p.m. against Florida International (4-12).

In the first game, State pitcher Jessica Beech (5-2) scattered three hits in 7.0 innings of work and allowed just one run, which FIU posted in the top of the seventh inning. Furrow was 3-3 with her double, triple and two runs scored coming against the Golden Panthers. Freshman Erin Harvey posted her first collegiate hit as she pinch hit for Meghan Darhower, while Elizabeth Peterson and Dayna Feenstra were 1-2 and 1-3 at the plate, respectively. Another freshman, Jackie Noble, also picked up her first career stolen base in a pinch runner role.

MSU scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Furrow led off with a double, and Peterson moved her to third on a single. An error by the FIU first baseman allowed Furrow to cross the plate. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when Furrow again led off the inning, this time with a triple. She scored on a passed ball, and though the Spartans had two on the bases when the inning ended, MSU could not muster another run.

State allowed FIU to score in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly that followed a double and an error earlier in the inning. The game ended with a 2-1 MSU win, which seeded the Spartans No. 1 for the tournament semi-finals.

In the semi-final game, Stony Brook jumped on the board 1-0 in the first inning, as Katie Joosten made her first appearance of the season for State. The Spartans answered in the bottom of the first inning, with two runs coming with two outs. Furrow, Peterson, Feenstra and Victoria Morache each singled in the first, with Feenstra driving in Furrow and Morache bringing in Peterson. From there, MSU put another run on the board in the bottom of the second and three more in the third.

State allowed Stony Brook to score once more in the top of the fourth, making the score 6-2, but answered with a single run in the bottom of the inning before adding two in the fifth and one in the sixth. The final score of 10-2 in six innings marked MSU's second run-rule-shortened contest in two days, with both shortened wins coming against Stony Brook.

Joosten (1-0) picked up the win, working 4.0 innings, and allowing two runs on six hits. Jackie Noble worked 2.0 innings in relief and allowed a walk and two hits as she faced nine batters.

Feenstra was 2-3 with two runs batted in, as was Brittney Green. Green posted her second home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning. Janette Hurtado was 3-4 for State, with two runs scored and an RBI, while rightfielder Jessica Beech was 2-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

After Sunday's championship game, the Spartans travel to the Worth Invitational at Cal State Fullerton March 5-7. On Friday, State faces UC Santa Barbara and Oregon State to open play.