Michigan State University
Worth Invitational vs. California
State Softball Struggles In Second Day Of Worth Invitational
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 6, 2004
FULLERTON, Calif. - Michigan State softball fell to 9-6 on the year with losses to No. 4 California and Cal State Northridge late Saturday in the second day of the Worth Invitational at Cal State Fullerton. Cal took the first game, 6-2, while CSN won the second game in extra innings, 10-5.
Senior centerfielder Angel Merren was 3-7 at the plate for State on the day with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. A day after tossing her second career no-hitter, Jessica Beech took both losses for the Spartans, moving her record to 7-4 on the season.
In the first game, Cal posted four runs in the bottom of the second on a grand slam home run from leadoff batter Vicky Galindo. MSU put one run on the board in the top of the fifth, thanks to a triple from Beech that drove in Brittney Green, but the Spartans weren't able to score again until the top of the seventh. They gave up two more to the Golden Bears in the bottom of the sixth, as Cal catcher Haley Woods drove in Lindsey James on a sacrifice fly. State's final run of the game came as Merren singled with one out and she came around to score on a double from Victoria Morache. MSU would not cross the plate again, giving Cal the 6-2 victory.
Morache was 2-3 with an RBI in the game, while Beech was 2-4 with her second triple of the year. Beech threw 3.0 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits. She walked one batter, the first she'd allowed in five games, and struck out two. Christy McGrew worked 3.0 innings in relief, and gave up two earned runs on six hits.
In the second game, State allowed Cal State Northridge to gain a 4-0 lead before scoring four of its own in the bottom of the fourth. Dayna Feenstra, MSU's leadoff batter in the inning walked, and Elizabeth Peterson drove her in with her third home run of the season. Merren added a double to drive in Meghan Darhower, while a single from Natalie Furrow on the next play brought Merren around to score. The Spartans allowed CSN to score one more in the top of the fifth, and the Matadors hung on to a 5-4 lead until State added a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
State allowed five Matador runs to score on three hits and an error in the top of the eighth, and could not overcome the lead. The final in the second game was 10-5. Beech worked an eight-inning complete game, and allowed 10 runs, six earned, on 14 hits and two walks. She struck out seven.
Mercado and Merren both were 2-4 for State in the game, while Furrow was 2-5. The Spartans committed four errors and left 10 runners on base.
State concludes play in the 2004 Worth Invitational Sunday, as it takes on host Cal State Fullerton at 11 a.m.
