Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Northwestern*
Spartans Unable To Complete Sweep Of No. 15 Northwestern
4/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 30, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - In a drastically different game compared to MSU's 2-0 victory Friday where all of the runs were scored in the eighth inning, No. 15 Northwestern used a balanced offensive attack to defeat Michigan State, 14-2, Saturday, April 30, in six innings. The Spartans dropped to 7-7 in the Big Ten (21-25-1 overall) while NU climbed to 15-1 (35-12) with the help of six home runs.
Northwestern immediately put the pressure on as the designated visiting team with three singles off starter Lesley Noel (6-5). With two away and the bags full, Sheila McCorkle smashed one up the middle that second baseman Janette Hurtado could not handle cleanly and everyone advanced. With a 1-0 lead, Kelly Odell failed to drive in anymore by grounding the third out back to the circle.
MSU responded in its half with an unearned run of its own off Courtnay Foster (17-5). Nikki Nicosia got the inning going with a single through the right side and went to third on a base hit by Hurtado to right. As Hurtado took off for second with Dayna Feenstra at-bat, catcher Jamie Dotson's throw was off the mark, went off the glove of Odell and slowly bounced away to allow Nicosia to sprint home and tie the contest. Unfortunately, State left runners at the corners after a strikeout, walk and a fly out to short.
The Wildcats pounced on Noel again in the second for a run on a walk and two singles. They padded their advantage to 5-1 in the fourth with back-to-back homers by Stephanie Churchwell and Erin Mobley. MSU placed two runners on in its next at-bat when Traci Nicosia and Caitlin Mahoney ripped one-out singles to right. But Foster, who sits third in the Big Ten in opposing batting average, got out of it with a strike out and a fly out.
NU drove Noel from the game in the fifth with a run on three hits. Abby Lincoln entered the circle with two outs and gave up three-straight walks. She took the bench in favor of Jackie Noble, who had not seen game time in the circle all season. Finally putting an end to the frame, Noble induced McCorkle to fly out to right. Up 8-1, Northwestern added four home runs in the sixth to clinch the win. Meghan Darhower did drive in pinch-runner Amy Szawara in the bottom of the sixth for State's second run, but it was too little too late.
State concludes Big Ten play with a huge test Sunday, May 1, in a doubleheader at No. 1 Michigan. The game will be tape-delayed on Comcast Local while also broadcast live over the internet at www.msuspartans.com.
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H ENorthwestern 1 1 0 3 3 6 14 18 2Michigan State 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 1Records: MSU 21-25-1, 7-7 NU 35-12, 15-1W: Courtnay Foster (17-5)L: Lesley Noel (6-5)
