Michigan State University
5-2
Florida Atlantic
6-1
Errors Plague MSU in Loss to FAU
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
East Lansing, Mich. -- A five-run seventh inning for the host Owls blew open a tight game, and Florida Atlantic earned a 9-1 victory over Michigan State in the final game of day one of the FAU Strike Out Cancer Tournament.
The game was a bit of a pitcher's duel early, as Spartan starter Kristina Zalewski went six innings, striking out a career-best nine, and gave up four runs on four hits after picking up a save in the first game of the day. However, MSU shot itself in the foot with seven errors, as just four of the Owls' nine runs were earned. FAU starter Kylee Hanson went six innings, posting 13 strikeouts, including striking out the side in the fifth with the bases loaded, to improve her team to 6-1 on the season.
The Owls, who came into the game having not allowed a run in any of their last four games, quickly saw that streak snapped as Sarah Gutknecht launched a leadoff homer to deep left center, extending her hitting streak to seven games with her second homer of the season.
After three shutout innings, the Owls finally got on the board in the top of the fourth. After a leadoff walk to Camesha Thompson, a two-base error after a sacrifice attempt by Emily Lochten moved Thompson to third. Christina Martinez then reached base on a second consecutive error by the Spartan infield, plating the first run of the game. Laura Mann's sacrifice fly to left plated Lochten, giving the home team a 3-1 lead with just one out. Zalewski got Tatum Buckley to strike out looking on a 2-2 pitch, then Alex Miller to strike out swinging on a full count to get out of the inning without further damage.
MSU threatened in the bottom of the inning, as Freimuth singled and moved to second on a throwing error. After pinch hitter Shanin Thomas was retired, Destinee Luna was hit by a pitch, putting runners at the corners. However, Hanson got McBride to ground out to stall the Spartan rally, as the team entered the fifth with the home team holding a 3-1 lead.
The Owls tacked on a run in the top of the fifth, courtesy of another Spartan error, their fourth of the night. Lindsey Shell got on base with a one-out double, followed by Christina Martinez reaching on the error, plating Shell.
The Spartans rallied to load the bases in the bottom of the fifth with none out, looking like a team that was ready to cut into the lead. Gutknecht led off the inning with a double to left, and Jacquie Reiser was hit by a pitch. Lea Foerster picked up her first hit of the night, singling through the left side to load the bases. Hanson got both Stephanie Sanders and Kassidy Kujawa on 1-2 pitches, turning the pressure to Spartan first baseman McKinzie Freimuth. Freimuth worked a full count, but swung at a third strike as Hanson left the circle with her 11th strikeout of the night.
Zalewski was spelled by freshman Bridgette Rainey in the seventh, and three more errors spelled doom for the Spartans, as the host Owls tacked on an additional five runs to turn the game into a blowout.
The Spartans are back in action on Saturday at 3:45 p.m., taking on Providence College before a 6 p.m. rematch with Florida Atlantic.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hanson, K (2-0)
L: Zalewski, Kristina (0-0)
Batting:
2B: Shell, L 1
RBI: Martinez, C 2 ; Martinez, M 1 ; Mann, L 1
SH: Lochten, E. 1
SF: Mann, L 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shell, L 2 ; Martinez, C 1 ; Thompson, C 2 ; Lochten, E. 1 ; Martinez, M 1 ; Howell, S 1 ; Rickey, D. 1
SB: Martinez, C 1
Batting:
2B: Gutknecht, Sarah 1
HR: Gutknecht, Sarah 1
RBI: Gutknecht, Sarah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gutknecht, Sarah 1
HBP: Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; Reiser, Jacquie 1 ; Luna, Destinee 1
