Spartans Host Purdue In Midweek Doubleheader
4/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 8, 2009
Spartan Sports Podcasts
Jessica Heidi
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team hosts Purdue in a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Old College Field with the first game set to begin at 3 p.m. The Spartans currently hold a 3-0 record at the recently renovated playing surface.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
MSU is looking to snap a three game skid and record its first Big Ten win of the season. Four Spartans are batting above .300, including Lauren Kramer (.398), Gina Mondo (.396), Kara Weigle (.374) and Lindsey Hansen (.313.) As a team, the Spartans are batting .290, which is fourth in the Big Ten.
In the circle, MSU relies heavily on senior Megan Hair, though freshman Lauren Kramer and junior Kelly Confer have contributed. Hair leads the team with 39 strikeouts and Kramer follows close behind with 35.
SCOUTING PURDUE
Purdue (18-12, 3-3 Big Ten) is coming off a sweep by then 10th-ranked Michigan, falling 3-1 in the first game and 4-3 in the nightcap. The Boilermakers sent the second game into extra innings off a sixth inning RBI by senior Alicia Spack but fell in the ninth inning.
Junior Liane Horiuchi is batting .400 through Purdue's 30 games, while senior Candace Curtis has a .333 batting average. Sophomore Suzie Rzegocki leads the pitching staff with a 15-7 record, and has struck out 123 batters in 148.2 innings. The Boilermakers rank seventh in the Big Ten in batting average, fourth in pitching and sixth in fielding. Horiuchi leads the Big Ten in triples (four) and stolen bases (30).
LAST TIME OUT
The eighth-ranked Northwestern Wildcats swept Michigan State in a doubleheader last Wednesday at Drysdale Field. Lindsey Hansen notched the Spartans only run in the first game off a home run to center field and Lauren Kramer led MSU in the nightcap, going 2-for-3 at the plate and notching an RBI.
In game one, Northwestern struck first in the second inning, scoring one run and added three more runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 7-0 lead. Hansen opened the fifth inning with a solo home run to center field, her team-leading 10th of the season. With the homer, Hansen reached MSU's all-time home run list, tying for ninth with 11 in her career. Northwestern added two runs in the fifth inning to take a 9-1 lead and end the game in five innings. Kramer pitched for MSU, recording three strikeouts.
Northwestern started the second game with two runs in the first inning. MSU came back in the third, scoring one run on two hits. The Wildcats added a run in the second and three in the fourth inning to widen their lead.
Michigan State scored a run on three hits in the fifth, led by Kramer, but Northwestern registered two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth inning to end the game and remain perfect in Big Ten play. Senior Megan Hair started in the circle for Michigan State and recorded three strikeouts in game two. Kramer faced the final three batters of the game, posting one strikeout.
