Michigan State University Athletics
Softball Hosts Indiana For Two Game Series
4/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 10, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team continues a six-game home stand this weekend with a two-game series against Indiana. The two teams meet on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12 with both games beginning at noon. Both games will also be televised live by the Big Ten Network. The first 100 fans to Old College Field on Saturday will receive a free giveaway courtesy of the Big Ten Network.
SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana is coming off a sweep by then 16th-ranked Ohio State, falling 14-4 in the first game and 1-0 in the nightcap. Sophomore Sara Olson tossed a no-hitter in the second game, but recorded the loss when a run scored on a bases loaded illegal pitch. Olson became the 10th pitcher in school history to toss a no-hitter.
Junior Jennifer Glueckert is batting a team-best .296 through 31 of Indiana's 33 games. Senior Emily Bergeson has a .274 batting average and Olson is hitting .247. Olson also leads the pitching staff with a 4-9 record and a 3.18 ERA in 24 appearances.
SENIOR LEADERS
All three Spartan seniors have been critical components of the MSU lineup. Gina Mondo, who starts at second base, leads the team in and hits with 38 and is tied for first with 23 runs. Behind the plate is Kara Weigle, who has started all 33 games for MSU. She has a .349 batting average with a team-leading 11 doubles and 10 sacrifice hits. Megan Hair has appeared in 23 games for the Green and White, starting 15 games, and pitching two complete games. She leads the team in innings pitched (81.0) and saves with three.
Hair ranks seventh in the nation in saves, while Weigle is ranked 16th nationally with .34 sacrifice hits per game and is 20th in doubles per game (.38).
SOPHOMORE SURGE
Lindsey Hansen has laid any doubts of a sophomore slump to rest, putting up impressive numbers this season. Through 33 games, Hansen is hitting .305 and leads the team in several categories, including triples (three), home runs (10), RBI (23) and slugging percentage (.686). She also ranks 22nd nationally in home runs (9.0), 24th in homers per game (.31) and 27th in triples (3.0).
STOLEN BASE PROS
MSU is 37-for-42 in stolen base attempts this season, and Gina Mondo leads the team with nine. Kara Weigle has six, as does Lindsey Hansen. Karen Fox is also 5-for-5 thus far.
WEBGEMS
Sophomore outfielder Karen Fox leads the team in fielding percentage. She has not committed an error through 26 of MSU's 33 games. Freshman Brett Williams recently began play in the Spartan outfield and has yet to commit an error in 14 games.
BIG TEN STATS
The Spartans rank fourth in the Big Ten in batting average and several players are ranked in various categories. Kara Weigle ranks first in doubles (11) and is third in sacrifice bunts (10). Lindsey Hansen is tied for second in triples (3) and is tied for second in home runs (10). Gina Mondo ranks third in the Big Ten in batting average (.396) and Lauren Kramer is fifth (.393).
GOING YARD
The Spartans have notched 33 home runs through 33 games this season, with sophomore Lindsey Hansen leading the way with 10. Senior Gina Mondo has five and freshman Lauren Kramer has four, while senior Kara Weilge and freshman Ali Grant both have hit three.
Also, Mondo ranks fifth on MSU's all-time home runs list with 18 in her career, while Weigle recently reached the list with 12 thus far in her career. Hansen also made the list during the Spartans last two-game series, hitting a solo homerun against Northwestern. After hitting just one homer last season, she has 10 this season, tying for ninth on the all-time list.
