Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Host Penn State For Doubleheader Wednesday
4/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 28, 2009
Spartan Sports Podcast
Jessica Gina
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team hosts Penn State in a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, the beginning of a four-game homestand.
LAST TIME OUT
The Michigan State softball team swept a doubleheader with Minnesota on Saturday afternoon at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The Spartans shut out the Golden Gophers in both games, posting a 1-0 win in eight innings in the first game and tallying a 3-0 victory in the second game. The shutouts were the third and fourth for the Spartans this season.
Freshman Lauren Kramer started and won both games for MSU, holding Minnesota scoreless through the 14 innings she pitched and striking out 15 batters combined. Sophomore Jessica Bracamonte notched the game-winning homer in the first game, and senior Gina Mondo hit a home run in the second.
Game one was a pitcher's duel, with Michigan State recording four hits and Minnesota notching six. Both teams remained scoreless through seven innings, sending the game into extra innings, the ninth extra-inning game for the Spartans this year and second straight. MSU struck first in the eighth with a solo home run to right field from Bracamonte, her third of the season. Minnesota opened the bottom of the inning with a double to center field by Malisa Barnes and a single to left center by Mallory Mitchell, but a double play and ground out ended the threat, giving MSU the victory.
Kramer started in the circle and earned the victory, pitching seven innings. She tied her career high with nine strikeouts and walked just two batters. Senior Megan Hair pitched the final inning for the Green and White to record her fourth save of the season.
The second game proved to be another low-scoring game, with MSU recording a 3-0 win. The Spartans posted seven hits, while the Golden Gophers notched four. MSU broke onto the scoreboard in the fifth inning with two runs on three hits. Kramer opened the inning with a single down the left field line and freshman Ali Grant singled to put two on base. Classmate Lori Padilla continued with a single off a bunt to load the bases. After one out, sophomore Lindsey Hansen hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring one run. Grant also scored on the play off an error by right field. Mondo added to the Spartans' lead in the sixth inning with a solo home run to center field, her sixth of the season. Kramer held Minnesota without a hit through four innings and ended the game with seven strikeouts.
HOLDING DOWN THE CIRCLE
Freshman Lauren Kramer, the Spartans' only left-handed pitcher, has recently hit her stride. Through the last seven games, she has pitched 35 1-3 innings, recording a 0.59 ERA. She allowed just four runs and four walks while posting a 4-1 record. Kramer tallied her first career shutout on Tuesday, April 21 in an 8-0 win over Bowling Green in five innings. She shared the first shutout win over Minnesota with senior Megan Hair, but picked up the second one for second of the week and her career.
Through the last six games, Kramer has recorded 43 strikeouts, including setting a career-high with nine against No. 23 Iowa in the second game of a doubleheader. She tied her career-high in game one against Minnesota, fanning nine batters. In 15 1-3 innings (a four game span), Kramer faced 52 batters and did not allow a walk. The streak was broken against the Golden Gophers.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State is coming off a two-game series sweep by Purdue, dropping a 2-0 decision on Saturday and narrowly falling 3-2 on Sunday. Senior Sam Hovanec led the Nittany Lions in the second game, going 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Jackie Hill pitched both games for Penn State, striking out nine in the first game and five in the second.
Freshman Lisa Akamine is batting a team-best .281 through 121 at-bats, while senior Danielle Kinley is hitting .273 after the same number of at-bats. Kinley leads the team with 19 runs, nine doubles and 50 total bases. Akamine has a team-high 34 hits, while Hovanec leads the team with 21 RBIs. Junior Ashley Griffith is perfect in stolen bases this year, going 11-for-11. Hill leads the pitching staff with a 12-9 record and 0.99 ERA. She has 132 strikeouts through 142 innings, and ranks second in the Big Ten in ERA.
