Feenstra, Noble Lead State Softball To Split At Detroit

May 11, 2004

DETROIT - Dayna Feenstra went a combined 5-for-8 at the plate with a home run and a double, and freshman pitcher Jackie Noble picked up her first career win in Michigan State softball's doubleheader split at Detroit Tuesday. The Spartans enter the Big Ten tournament at Ann Arbor Thursday with an overall record of 31-24, while Detroit is now 17-30 on the year.

In the first game, Detroit put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, as State pitcher Jackie Noble gave up her first two hits of the game. Centerfielder Andrea Sikora singled with one out, advanced to second on a sacrifice from Kristin Martin and reached third on the throw. Sikora scored as Katrina Klemp singled. Detroit held the 1-0 lead, though State threatened in the top of the sixth inning. Natalie Furrow reached on an error by the UDM second baseman. Feenstra and Brittney Green singled to load the bases, but MSU could not push across a run.

Jackie Noble picked up her first win as a Spartan in State's second game at Detroit, as she worked 3.0 innings in relief and allowed just one run on five hits.

State tied the game in the top of the seventh inning, as pinch hitter Victoria Morache singled with two outs, and after fouling off 10 pitches, Elizabeth Peterson walked. A double from Jessica Beech scored Morache and moved Peterson to third. UDM intentionally walked Furrow and loaded the bases. Feenstra hit a deep fly ball to left field, leaving the game tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, pitcher Lindsay Roy reached on an error, and advanced to second on a sacrifice. A single from Kari Messina drove in the winning run, giving UDM the 2-1 victory, its first against the Spartans since 2001.

Hurtado was 2-for-3 in the first game, and Feenstra was 2-for-4 at the plate. Beech posted the game's only extra-base hit, as she was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Morache went 1-for-1 with a run scored in her pinch hit appearance.

MSU's Noble took the loss, as she threw 6.2 innings, and allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits. She struck out two, and has a season record of 0-3. Roy (9-11) got the win, as she worked a 7.0 inning complete game, and allowed on run on seven hits and four walks. She struck out three Spartan batters.

In the second game, the Titans jumped on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a run on two hits. State answered with three runs of its own in the second inning. Feenstra led off with a single and scored on a double from Green. Hurtado singled and scored on Amy Szawara's first double of the season. State took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the second inning. MSU added two more runs in the top of the third inning, as Beech singled and Furrow doubled. A sacrifice fly from Feenstra scored Beech, and Furrow scored on the same from Green. MSU held its 5-1 lead until the bottom of the inning.

The Titans added two runs in the bottom of the third, as State pitcher Christy McGrew allowed a single and a double and both runners came around to score. Noble relieved McGrew with a runner on third, and got out of the inning with a 5-3 lead. MSU moved the score to 9-3, as Szawara walked with one out, and Peterson singled to move her to second. With two outs, Beech walked to load the bases and all three runners scored on a double from Natalie Furrow. Furrow moved to third on a passed ball, and came around to score as Feenstra doubled for her second hit of the day. State loaded the bases, Detroit made its third pitching change of the game and got the final out of the inning.

Amy Szawara posted her first career double in MSU's win against Detroit.

MSU added five runs on six hits and an error in the top of the fifth, as the Spartans batted around. Szawara singled to start the inning, and scored on a double from Beech. Three plays later, Feenstra hit her fourth home run of the season to drive in three and make the score 13-4 with two outs. Green hit her second double of the day, and scored on a double from Hurtado. The Spartans left three runners on base to end the inning and took the 14-4 lead and eventual win.

Noble (1-3) got the win, and allowed one run on five hits in 3.0 innings of relief. Szawara was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Green went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two runs scored, two RBI and a walk. Hurtado, Peterson, Beech and Furrow each also posted two hits in the second game.

State faces Michigan on Thursday, May 13 at Ann Arbor at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. The winner of Thursday's Michigan-Michigan State game will face the winner of the Northwestern-Minnesota matchup slated for 2:30 p.m. Friday.