Spartans Split With Loyola Marymount, Win In Extra Innings

March 12, 2004

LOS ANGELES - Senior first baseman Natalie Furrow was 6-8 at the plate with two RBIs as Michigan State softball spilt its doubleheader at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles on Friday, March 12. The Spartans won the first game in eight innings, 6-3, and fell, 9-8, in the second game. MSU's record is now 13-9 on the year, while LMU stands at 12-6.

Loyola Marymount posted three runs in the bottom of the third inning in the first game, but State answered with three of its own in the top of the fourth. Brittney Green posted a leadoff walk, and Janette Hurtado singled to advance her to second. Victoria Morache was hit by a pitch, and Nicole Mercado's third triple in the last five games drove in all three baserunners.

The score remained tied at 3-3 until the extra frame when MSU started the inning with Jessica Beech on second base by virtue of the tiebreaker rule. Green reached as she was the second Spartan of the day to be hit by a pitch, and a home run from Elizabeth Peterson drove in the Spartans' final three runs of the game and made the final score 6-3.

Beech was the pitcher of record as she allowed three runs on seven hits in 8.0 innings. She struck out five and walked three; her record now stands at 9-5 on the season. Mercado was 3-5 with a triple and three RBIs, while Hurtado and designated player Dayna Feenstra were both 2-4 at the plate.

In the second game, State jumped on the board in the first inning as Furrow drove in Mercado who posted a leadoff walk to start the game. The Spartans scored two more in the second inning on three walks and two hits, though they left three on base. MSU then allowed five Loyola runs in the bottom of the second as starting State pitcher Katie Joosten gave up two home runs.

LMU put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth, and State scored another in the top of the fifth to make the score 6-4. The Spartans gave up three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and the sixth, and were down, 9-4 entering the top of the seventh. State started the inning off with a single from Jessica Beech. She came around to score on a double from Hurtado, while pinch runner Amy Szawara scored on Erin Harvey's sacrifice fly on the next play. Mercado posted a single that drove in Hurtado a few plays later, while singles from Angel Merren and Furrow kept the inning alive and made the score 9-8, and Beech stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning, this time with two outs. She struck out, and the game ended with the final score 9-8.

Furrow was 4-4 at the plate with a walk, a run scored and two batted in. Hurtado was 2-3 in the second game, scored two runs, walked once, drove in one and posted MSU's only extra-base hit in the game. Beech was 2-4, while Peterson was 2-3. Merren sacrificed twice, while Beech, Peterson and Harvey each recorded one sacrifice hit.

Joosten (2-3) started the game and took the loss, as she allowed five runs on four hits and a walk in 2.0 innings pitched. Christy McGrew worked 4.0 innings in relief, and gave up four runs on seven hits and walk. She hit two batters and struck out two.

The Spartans round out their spring break trip Saturday, March 13 with a single game at Cal State Northridge that begins at 2 p.m. (PST).