Michigan State University
Utah State
Softball Defeats Utah State, Falls to Oregon State
3/10/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 10, 2012
Utah State Box Score|Oregon State Box Score
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Michigan State softball team wrapped up its Spring Break trip with competition at the Long Beach State Invitational. The Spartans started the day with a 3-2 win over Utah State then finished with a 5-2 loss to Oregon State. Following Spring Break play, MSU improved to 7-15 on the season.
MSU kept the Aggies from scoring until the third inning, when Utah State took a one-run lead. Allison Lenzore singled to center field to start the inning and advanced to second on a fielding error. Annie Thomas laid a sacrifice bunt to send Lenzora to third. Next up was Kassandra Uchida, who reached on a fielder's choice, bringing Lenzora home.
The Spartans evened the score in the next half-inning. Junior Jenny Ramsaier got on base with a walk, then advanced to second when senior Lori Padilla reached on a fielding error. A single to left field by junior Kylene Hopkins loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly by senior Ali Grant allowed Ramsaier to cross home plate.
The Aggies took the lead once more with another one-run first inning. With runners on second and third due to a walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt, Dekota Monarrez singled to right field and scored the second run for Utah State.
The game was tied again in the bottom of the fourth with one run by the Spartans. Two walks put redshirt sophomore Stephanie Sanders and junior Jayme O'Bryant on first and second. Senior Brett Williams fouled out to right field, which advanced runners O'Bryant and freshman Kelsey Cleary, who pinch ran for Sanders. The next batter for MSU was freshman Alyssa McBride who sent a sacrifice fly to left field and sent Cleary home.
Michigan State took the lead when they scored the game-winner in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman McKinzie Freimuth started the inning with a single and advanced to second when Padilla laid a sacrifice bunt. A single through the left side from Hopkins allowed Freimuth to reach third. After Hopkins stole second, a wild pitch paved the way for Freimuth to notch the game winning run.
Sophomore Cassee Layne was the starting pitcher for MSU and didn't allow an Aggie hit until the third inning. In 5.1 innings of work, Layne struck out five batters and only allowed two runs on five hits. Freshman Carly Nielsen pitched for 1.2 innings, striking out one batter and not allowing a single hit.
The second game of the day proved to be a pitching duel as MSU and Oregon State went scoreless for the first three innings. The Spartans started the scoring in the fourth with a walk to Padilla. Hopkins grounded out to the shortstop, which moved Padilla into scoring position. Grant got on first base when she was hit by a pitch, then a double by Sanders advanced Grant to second and allowed Padilla to score.
Oregon State tied the game in the next half-inning with a walk-off home run down the left field line by Paige Hall.
The Spartans retaliated with a home run of their own by Williams into left center, making it a 2-1 game.
Michigan State kept the lead until Oregon State posted a four-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. A runner was on first when Erin Guzy hit a bunt to the shortstop. The runners moved around when Ally Kutz laid a sacrifice bunt and the bases loaded as Lea Cavestany reached on a fielder's choice. Mary Claire Brenner then singled through the left side and advanced on the throw, allowing two runs for the Beavers. A fly out to center field sent a third runner home and a single by Hannah Bouska scored the final run of the game.
Layne started for the third game in a row and kept Oregon State, who owns a team average of .298 and a total of 199 hits, to one hit and no runs until the fourth inning. The sophomore pitched for four innings and only allowed one run off two hits. Nielsen came in relief in the fifth inning, giving up four runs to earn the loss.
The Spartans will get a week of rest before they head to Bloomington, Ind. to compete in the Hoosier Classic. Action for MSU will begin on Saturday (March 17) against Central Michigan at 12:15 p.m. (ET) and continue with UIC at 2:30 p.m. On Sunday (March 18), Michigan State will face North Dakota at 10 a.m. and then Wright State at 12:15 p.m.
