Michigan State University
UIC
Softball Defeats UIC, 11-7
2/16/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 16, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Michigan State softball team picked up its second win of the weekend against UIC on Saturday morning at the Littlewood Classic Tournament. MSU improved its record to 3-4 with an 11-7 victory against the Flames. Sophomore Ellie Stoffer recorded five RBIs and freshman pitcher Dani Goranson tallied her first career win, pitching 4 2/3 innings.
Senior Kylene Hopkins was first to cross the plate for MSU in the first inning after junior Sarah Bowling hit a double.
Michigan State gained momentum in the second inning, compiling four runs. Sophomore McKinzie Freimuth began the inning with a double to center field. The next three batters, Hopkins, freshman Destinee Luna, and Bowling, walked to send Freimuth home. Senior Jayme O'Bryant also walked and Hopkins scored for the Spartans. Stoffer hit a single to center field, and Michigan State gained a 5-0 lead as Bowling and Luna crossed the plate.
After a scoreless third inning, Stoffer hit a home run at the top of the fourth inning to send junior pinch runner Fernandez home.
Michigan State extended its lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Hopkins.
The Flames rallied in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 8-4.
The Spartans continued their steady pace, notching another run in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Stoffer on second and Sanders on first, sophomore Alyssa McBride tallied her second RBI of the season hitting a single.
In the top of the seventh, the Spartans scored two more runs after UIC registered three runs at the bottom of the sixth. Luna started off the frame with a single up the middle and then advanced to second base on a passed ball.
With two outs, O'Bryant hit a double to collect an RBI as Luna crossed the plate. In similar fashion, Stoffer doubled and O'Bryant scored the final run of the game.
MSU held UIC scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, to finalize the score at 11-7.
Stoffer and O'Bryant were 3-for-4 in the game.
Goranson allowed four runs, all earned, off of eight hits. Junior Kelly Smith pitched two innings and held UIC, giving up no runs and striking out one batter.
Michigan State will finish up the day against Illinois State this afternoon and finish its time at the Littlewood Classic tomorrow with a game against Northern Iowa at 12:45 p.m.
