Michigan State University
Southern Illinois (UNLV Rebel Tournament)
Softball Splits At UNLV Rebel Tournament
2/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 19, 2005
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - With three freshmen and four sophomores in the starting lineup, Michigan State's softball team exceeded expectations in its first two games of the season Saturday, Feb. 19, at the UNLV Rebel Tournament. The Spartans upset No. 16 Florida, 9-8, by scoring three runs in the final inning, but dropped a 4-3 decision to Southern Illinois as the Salukis hit a walk-off home run to win it. MSU moved to 1-1 on the year while Florida fell to 12-2 and SIU improved to 3-2.
While the game with Florida was the first for the Spartans, the Gators had already played 13 games this season. However, it was MSU that looked fresh, posting five runs in the first inning and forcing Florida's starter to leave the game after only 1/3 innings. Stacey Stevens walked the first three MSU batters and with the bases loaded, Elizabeth Peterson connected for a two-run single. After Janette Hurtado grounded out, freshman Traci Nicosia, in her first collegiate at-bat, blasted a three-run home run to left-center to give the Spartans a 5-0 lead and send Stevens to the bench.
A 42 minute rain-delay halted play before Florida came to the plate in the second. With two outs, Kristen Butler cranked a solo shot over the left field fence off Spartan starter Christy McGrew to bring the score to 2-1. The third inning was all Gators, as they scored five runs with the help of two MSU errors to take a 6-5 lead. Rachel Turney replaced McGrew to retire the side and get out of the third.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, but Peterson led off the fifth with a homer to right-center, knotting things at six all. State threatened later in the inning when Stevens reentered the game as pitcher, putting two runners on with only one out but could not capitalize. UF retook the lead in the bottom half as Butler hit her second four-bagger of the game to give Florida an 8-6 advantage.
Down two runs entering the seventh, Peterson led off for the Spartans and reached first on a HBP. A fielder's choice by Hurtado moved her to second and she eventually got to third off a single by Nicosia. Caitlin Mahoney drove her in with a single to right field, advancing Nicosia to third. Jessica LeFevre ran for Mahoney and promptly stole second, leaving two runners in scoring position. Stevens struck out pinch-hitter Dana Rosenblatt for the second out. With the game riding on her shoulders, Amy Szawara connected on a 2-1 pitch with a shot down the left field line, scoring both runs and giving State a 9-8 lead. Turney sat down the Gators 1-2-3 in the seventh to secure the win.
Minutes later, Michigan State battled Southern Illinois. Turney met SIU's standout hurler, Amy Harre, and each pitcher dug out of early holes. State put a runner on third with two outs in the third inning only to see Harre get out of the jam. SIU then loaded the bases in the bottom half and could have blown the game open. However, centerfielder Nicole Mercado raced down a shallow fly off the bat of Katie Jordan and made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning.
McGrew relieved Turney in the fifth, but unfortunately the Salukis welcomed her by scoring two runs off four hits. State came back in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. Mahoney delivered a key chopper over the third baseman's head, moving all the runners up, cutting the SIU lead in half, 2-1. After Victoria Morache struck out, Szawara fell behind 0-2 on Harre. With things looking bleak, Szawara drew four balls on the next five pitches, bringing home Peterson. Mercado gave State the lead with a single up the middle, driving home Hurtado. Cassidy Scoggins came in for the Salukis and forced Nikki Nicosia to foul out, ending the frame.
Southern Illinois managed to put two runners in scoring position with one out on the bottom of the sixth but Turney came back in for State and retired the next two batters. Going into the seventh with a one-run lead again, Turney gave up a single and after getting two outs, Katie Louis ruined MSU's hopes of a two-game sweep as she sent a two-run walk-off shot over the left field fence, giving SIU the 4-3 victory.
Michigan State returns to action Sunday, Feb. 20, when it takes on No. 1 California at 11:15 a.m. PT and UNLV at 3:45 p.m. PT in the tournament's final day of competition.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H EMichigan State 5 0 0 0 1 0 3 9 9 3Florida 0 1 5 0 2 0 0 8 9 0Records: Michigan State 1-0, Florida 12-2W: Rachel Turney (1-0)L: Stacey Stevens (5-2)HR: Elizabeth Peterson (1), Traci Nicosia (1)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H EMichigan State 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 4 1Southern Illinois 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 10 1Records: Michigan State 1-1, Southern Illinois 3-2W: Cassidy Scoggins (1-0)L: Rachel Turney (1-1)
