Michigan State University
6-3
Florida Atlantic
7-1
Spartans Fall at FAU, 9-3
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
East Lansing, Mich. -- Florida Atlantic posted its second win over Michigan State in as many days, using a three-run fifth inning to post a 9-3 victory over the Spartans in Boca Raton. MSU has now lost four straight to the Owls in the series, which included two extra-inning affairs last year.
Stephanie Sanders and Lea Foerster each had a pair of hits in three plate appearances in the game, which accounted for four of MSU's seven hits. Valerie Kaff took the loss for MSU, as she allowed 11 hits and walked six, striking out four. The Spartans fall to 6-3 on the season, and finish up the tournament on Sunday morning against Drexel.
The home team scored twice in each of the first two innings, and tacked on another in the bottom of the third to take a 5-0 lead on five hits. MSU's bats came alive a bit in the top of the fourth, as leadoff hitter McKenzie Long reached on an error, and she was moved over on a double by classmate Lea Foerster. Stephanie Sanders came up with an RBI single to plate long and leave two on for Shanin Thomas, who had three hits in game one. Thomas grounded into a double play, and McKenzie Freimuth grounded out to end the inning.
Leading 5-1, the Owls got to Kaff for three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. FAU had three hits - all singles - in the inning, as well as a pair of sac flies; Kaff also hit one batter and walked another, allowing the Owls to push their lead to 8-1.
The Spartans cut into the lead in the top of the sixth. With one out, Foerster and Sanders put together back-to-back singles. After Thomas popped out, Freimuth singled home Foerster and moved Sanders to third , and moved to second on the throw to leave a pair in scoring position. Reiser struck out to end the inning as the home team came to bat in the bottom of the sixth leading 8-2.
Melissa Martinez led off the home half of the sixth with a triple down the left-field line, and Laura Mann brought her home with a single to right to make it 9-2. After Kaff got Delaney Rickey to strike out swinging, Miller (single up the middle) and Howell (fielder's choice) reached base, and advanced to second and third, respectively, on a double steal. Kaff retired Shell with a ground ball to get out of the inning, and the Spartans headed to the seventh trailing 9-2. Sarah Gutknecht hit her third home run of the season in the top of the final inning, but it was not enough as MSU suffered its third loss of the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Messer, S (2-1)
L: Kaff, Valerie (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Foerster, Lea 1
HR: Gutknecht, Sarah 1
RBI: Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; Sanders, Stephanie 1 ; Freimuth, McKinzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; Long, McKenzie 1 ; Foerster, Lea 1
Batting:
2B: Lochten, E. 1
3B: Martinez, M 1
RBI: Martinez, C 1 ; Thompson, C 2 ; Lochten, E. 1 ; Martinez, M 2 ; Mann, L 1 ; Buckley, T. 1
SH: Miller, A. 1 ; Howell, S 1
SF: Buckley, T. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shell, L 2 ; Martinez, C 1 ; Thompson, C 2 ; Martinez, M 1 ; Southall, K. 1 ; Bell, M. 1 ; Miller, A. 1
SB: Shell, L 1 ; Thompson, C 1 ; Lochten, E. 1 ; Miller, A. 2 ; Howell, S 1
HBP: Bell, M. 1
