Michigan State University
Iowa
Softball Fall Short At Iowa, Loses 9-8
4/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 10, 2011
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Michigan State softball team (20-17, 2-6 Big Ten) suffered a tough 9-8 loss at Iowa on Sunday, April 10 in Iowa City, Iowa. MSU was unable to rally late in the game after falling behind at the end of the second inning, 6-2. Senior Lindsey Hansen went 3-of-4 at the plate with two runs scored and six assists.
The Spartans attempted to rally in the seventh inning when junior Brett Williams led off the inning with a lead-off homer down the line in left to pull MSU back within one at 9-8. Williams is now tied for fourth in a single season along with Hansen, who recorded 11 homers in 2010. Williams also ranks seventh all-time in program history with 17 home runs in her career.
Together, Hansen and Williams make up the top home run tandem in the conference this season with 13 and 11 homers, respectively.
Williams put MSU on the board first in the top of the opening inning with a double down the left-field line, scoring Hansen from third. Hansen was the first base runner for the Spartans when she reached base off a single through the left side. Hansen found her way on third after two consecutive stolen bases.
MSU improved its lead to 2-0 over the Hawkeyes after another run in the top of the second. Senior Jessica Bracamonte doubled to left field to bring home freshman Samantha Findling, who was pinch running for sophomore Jayme O'Bryant.
Iowa got on the board for the first time with six runs in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded, Nikki Gentile was hit by the pitch to score Liz Watkins for the first run. Katie Keim hit a sacrifice to right to dive home Michelle Zoeller and tie the game at 2-2. A single by Ashley Akers up the middle gave the Hawkeyes their first lead of the game as Jordan Goschie crossed home. The fourth straight RBI occurred when Johnnie Dowling singled to left, scoring Gentile. Watkins drove home the final two runs of the inning when she singled to drive home both Dowling and Akers.
A double by freshman Sarah Bowling in the top of the third pulled the Spartans back within two at 6-4. Bowling put the ball into right to score both Williams and Hansen.
Luna scored in the bottom of the fourth to create a little separation from the Green and White. Luna advanced home after Stephanie Ochoa reached base on an error by the MSU third baseman.
Junior Ali Grant recorded a two-run homer in the top of the fifth to tie the game up at 7-7. Grant put the ball over the fence down the left-field line to score senior Karen Fox. Fox led off the fifth with a single to right field.
Dowling gave Iowa the lead again in the bottom of the fifth when she singled home two runs. Dowling's single wound up scoring both Akers and Keim, giving the Hawkeyes a 9-7 lead.
Brianna Lyon pitched a complete game for Iowa to improve to 11-10 on the season. Lyon allowed eight runs on 12 hits while striking out three batters.
Freshman Cassee Layne took the loss and falls to 8-12 on the year for MSU. In 4.1 innings of work, Layne allowed three runs scored, two earned, on 11 hits. Layne struck out three of her batters faced against one total walk.
MSU remains on the road when it travels to Evanston, Ill., on April 13 for a doubleheader against Northwestern. Game one is scheduled for a 3 p.m., start with the second game to start at roughly 5 p.m. Both contests will be streamed live at the BigTenNetwork.com.
