Temple Shuts Out MSU Softball, 3-0, Tuesday

March 8, 2005

TAMPA, Fla. - Michigan State suffered its sixth shutout of the year Tuesday, falling 3-0 to Temple at the University of South Florida. MSU dropped to 2-10-1 on the year as MSU starter Rachel Turney tied a season-high seven strikeouts in the game.

Each team stranded a runner at second base in the first inning and went down in order in the second as Turney matched Temple's Richelle Villescas pitch-for-pitch. The Owls (6-10) earned the game's first hit in the bottom of the third when Brandie Mora hit a grounder to the right of second base and beat out Janette Hurtado's throw to first. She was promptly caught stealing a few pitches later as catcher Caitlin Mahoney made a perfect throw to shortstop Traci Nicosia to clear the basepaths.

Through three innings, Turney had picked up five strikeouts. However, Temple's bats showed up in the fourth. Brittany Burks led off with a single through the right side and Aida Esquer followed by lacing a double that hit the bottom of the fence in right center, scoring Burks all the way from first. Laura Gutscher ripped a double of her own to straightaway center, enabling Esquer to cross home. After Turney retired the next two batters, Lauren Evans blooped a single that fell just out of the reach of diving center fielder Nicole Mercado. The hit drove in Gutscher, but Evans was thrown out trying to stretch the single into a double by right fielder Nikki Nicosia.

Villescas was on a role in the circle for the Owls and sat down 11 straight hitters before first baseman Dayna Feenstra collected State's first hit to lead off the fifth. A double-play and a line-drive out later, MSU remained scoreless. Christy McGrew relieved Turney in the sixth and managed to keep the Owl lead to 3-0 going into the seventh and that was when Michigan State finally got to Villescas. Traci Nicosia got aboard to open the final frame with an infield single and Hurtado came through with a single to move Nicosia to second. Feenstra then smashed a pitch to right field only to see Amanda Carver make the grab for the first out. Mahoney almost tied the game up but her drive to left field went just foul. Villescas did not let up and forced Mahoney to hit into a fielder's choice and closed the game by getting Meghan Darhower to line out to center.

Turney completed the contest by matching her season-best strikeout mark of seven as her record fell to 2-6 on the year. Nikki Nicosia picked up her third stolen base of the year while MSU's defense did not make an error in the ballgame. At the plate, Victoria Morache's single in the sixth jumped her hitting streak to seven games.

The Green and White continues its week in Florida with a doubleheader Wednesday, March 9, against Wagner at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex outside of Orlando. The first game is set for 11 a.m.

            1   2   3   4   5   6   7       R   H   EMichigan State      0   0   0   0   0   0   0       0   4   0Temple          0   0   0   3   0   0   X       3   7   0Records: MSU 2-10-1, Temple 6-10W: Richelle Villescas (6-7)L: Rachel Turney (2-6)