Michigan State University
Iowa
Softball Drops Conference Contest at Iowa, 4-0
4/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 11, 2008
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Michigan State softball (20-16, 4-3) saw its winning streak snapped Friday night, as Iowa out-hit the Spartans 10-to-5 en route to a 4-0 Hawkeye victory. The game was delayed 30 minutes due to rain. MSU had won its previous six games, including four Big Ten contests.
Bianca Mejia led the Spartans with a pair of hits, while Lesley Noel struck out four Hawkeyes in 5.1 innings pitched. Noel allowed one earn run while giving up nine hits, going down as the pitcher of record, before Kelly Confer came in with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
Iowa struck first with an RBI single in the opening inning, as Colleen McGlaughlin drove a shot to left field, scoring Lindsey Digmann. But MSU controlled the damage as Noel struck out Erin Riemersma and Katie Brown flied out to Nikki Nicosia in center, who made a diving catch to retire the inning.
The Hawkeyes extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third, with a pair of hits - including an RBI single to right-center by Riemersma. Kara Weigle put an out on the board, picking off Riemersma at second, and Noel earned the next out, ringing up Brown. Weigle then ended the inning on the same play, picking off pinch runner Quinn Morelock at first.
Michigan State showed signs of life in the top of the fourth with a pair of hits - one each from Bianca Mejia and Caitlin Mahoney - but the Spartans couldn't push the runners around the diamond, and Iowa closed out the half inning maintaining the lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Iowa tallied two insurance runs to go up 4-0 after Confer came in to relieve Noel in the circle. Confer ended the inning striking out Taylor Leichsenring.
Jessica Bracamonte gave the Spartans a late jump with a triple to deep center, but Iowa held off the late surge and snapped MSU's winning streak with the 4-0 advantage.
Iowa's Brittany Weil earned the shutout victory on the rubber, recording 11 strikeouts and just one walk.
The series will continue on Saturday, April 12, with the finale at 1 p.m.
