Michigan State University
Ohio State
Spartans Suffer Sweep By Buckeyes
4/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 23, 2006
Columbus, Ohio - The Michigan State softball team (32-18, 8-6 Big Ten) suffered its second consecutive series sweep, falling 13-4 and 4-0 to Ohio State in Big Ten action on Sunday. The Spartans managed only 13 hits in the series, as State dropped its fourth consecutive conference contest. MSU, which began the Big Ten season with victories in eight of its first ten conference games, went 0-4 against league opposition on the weekend.
In game one, Nycole Koyano blasted a lead-off double in the home half of the first and scored on a Brittany Vanderink single for an early 1-0 Buckeye lead. The Spartans countered in the second, as Ohio State hurler Kim Reeder walked leadoff hitter Nicole Mercado, who then took second on a Kara Weigle sacrifice before advancing to third on a wild pitch. With two outs in the inning, Dayna Feenstra laced a shot under the glove of the Buckeye shortstop, scoring Mercado to tie the game, 1-1.
Lauren Daykin led off the third with a home run over the right field fence for a 2-1 OSU lead before Megan Hair relieved Noel in the circle. Brittany Vanderink singled and advanced to third on an error in the Spartan outfield; Hair then walked Megan Schwab to put runners on the corners. With the bases loaded and two out, Hair worked out of the jam, striking out Jamee Juarez on three consecutive pitches, denying the Buckeyes a chance to add to their 2-1 lead.
MSU scored two in the fourth behind a Caitlin Mahoney home run and a Jenny Poff pinch-hit RBI double for a 3-2 Spartan advantage.
With a runner on first in the top of the fourth, Ohio State regained the lead, 4-3, as Koyano homered over the right field fence.
Noel returned to the circle in the fifth and walked the first two batters she faced. With the bases loaded, Juarez lined a two-run double to right field, extending the lead to 6-3. Another miscue by MSU in the field saw three more Buckeye runners cross the plate for a commanding 9-3 lead.
Designated player Dana Rosenblatt hit her sixth home run of the season in the sixth, cutting the lead to 9-4, however Buckeye shortstop Billie Carder followed in the home half of the inning with a walk-off grand slam, as OSU earned the 13-4 game one win.
Feenstra paced the Spartan offense with a 2-for-3 effort, adding one run and one RBI in the loss. Noel fell to 9-6 for the year, allowing eight hits and nine earned runs.
The Spartans did not fare much better in game two, as they were limited to just six hits at the plate and committed two errors. Koyano hit her second home run of the day for a 1-0 Ohio State lead in the top of the third, then back-to-back errors by the Spartan defense allowed OSU to add one run in the top of the fourth. Turney recorded three consecutive outs, however, not allowing the Buckeyes to add to their 2-0 advantage.
Held to just two hits through the first four innings of play, consecutive singles from Weigle and Rosenblatt put two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth. Juarez intentionally walked Mercado, but State failed to capitalize as Amy Szawara grounded out to the Buckeye third baseman.
Ohio State added two runs in the top of the seventh for the final 4-0 margin of victory.
In the complete game loss, Turney allowed eight hits and four earned runs, recording three strikeouts. Weigle went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Green and White offense.
The teams combined for six home runs on the day, including one each from Mahoney and Rosenblatt. Ohio State put up back-to-back errorless games on the afternoon, compared to four by the Spartans in the sweep.
MSU hosts intra-state rival Western Michigan on Tuesday at Old College Field and continues non-conference play at Central Michigan on Wednesday. Both games are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
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