Michigan State University
Valparaiso
Spartans Win Sixth Straight With Doubleheader Sweep Against Valparaiso
5/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 3, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - In its last non-conference tune-up of the season, Michigan State swept a doubleheader with Valparaiso on Thursday at Old College Field. State won by scores of 7-4 and 8-1. The Spartans combined for six home runs in the twinbill, improving to 32-24, while the Crusaders fall to 25-15 in the sweep.
Junior hurler Lesley Noel improved to 8-7, allowing four hits and four earned runs, while striking out five Crusaders at the plate in game one.
Valparaiso pitcher Stephanie Kelly suffered the loss in the circle. She tallied six strikeouts, and allowed nine hits and seven earned runs.
Junior left fielder Traci Nicosia led the Spartans at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort and one run in the opening game of the twinbill. Meghan Darhower contributed a three-run home run and Dana Rosenblatt also delivered a two-run long ball in the Spartan victory.
MSU used a six-run first inning to pull away from the Crusaders early. Senior first baseman Dayna Feenstra delivered an RBI single, and Darhower and Rosenblatt each tallied home runs with two outs in the frame for the 6-0 Spartan advantage.
The Crusaders loaded the bases in the top of the third and Taylor Callahan delivered a two-run double to right field. Valparaiso scored two more in the inning on an RBI groundout by Megan Carroll and passed ball by the Spartan catcher to pull within two at 6-4.
Noel allowed just one hit through the final four innings and MSU added one run in the bottom of the sixth for the 7-4 victory.
MSU scored seven runs on nine hits, committing one error in the field, while Valparaiso tallied four runs on four hits, and tallied two miscues in the loss.
Senior pitcher Rachel Turney struck out seven, and allowed just one run on six hits to improve to 12-9 for the year in game two. Sophomore reliever Megan Hair downed the side in order in the top of the seventh to earn her second save of the season.
Chris Halsted suffered the loss in the circle for the Crusaders. She allowed 12 hits and eight runs, falling to 9-3 for the year.
The home run parade continued for the Spartans, as Mahoney matched the MSU single-game high for the second time this season with two long balls, while adding five RBI in the victory. Darhower contributed two hits, including her second home run of the day and ninth of the season, while junior center fielder Nikki Nicosia also hit a home run for the Green and White.
Valparaiso took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Shannon Robinson, but State answered in the bottom half of the inning, as Nikki Nicosia delivered a solo shot to right field, and Mahoney and Darhower tallied back-to-back long balls for an early 4-0 MSU lead.
Sophomore catcher Kara Weigle tallied her team-leading ninth triple of the season and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nikki Nicosia to lead off the bottom of the second inning. With runners on first and third and two outs in the frame, Mahoney sent a bomb over the outfield wall for the deciding 8-1 Spartan advantage.
Turney allowed just four more Crusader hits, and Hair tallied two strikeouts in the seventh to clinch the non-conference sweep.
MSU scored eight runs on 12 hits, while Valparaiso managed one run on six hits, committing one error in the field.
Michigan State resumes Big Ten play in a key series against archrival Michigan, May 5-6. Game one of the series will be played at Old College Field on May 5 before the series moves to Ann Arbor for game two on May 6. Both games will start at 1:05 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Comcast Local. The series will be a "Strike Out Breast Cancer" series, for more details please visit msuspartans.com.
