Michigan State University
8-6
Utah State
2-12
Spartans Drop One-Run Decision to Utah State
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Riverside, Calif. - Sophomore Valerie Kaff scattered five hits over six innings, but the Spartan bats were quiet in a 3-2 loss to Utah State on Sunday in the finale of the Amy S. Harrison Tournament in Riverside, Calif. MSU was limited to a season-low three hits in the loss, dropping the Spartans to 8-6 on the season.
After an early 1-0 lead, the Aggies posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull ahead for good, and retired the Spartans in order in the top of the seventh. The two teams met for the second time this weekend, as MSU posted a 9-1 win in five innings on Friday to start the tournament.
"Val absolutely pitched well enough to win today," said head coach Jacquie Joseph. "Our bats were just too quiet. We keep talking about being a work in progress, and it's time for us to take another step forward. None of us wanted to leave here with this sour taste in our mouths, for sure. We'll just get back to work and focus on getting better for next week.
The Aggies tried to manufacture some offense early, as Sarah Chow reached on a seeing-eye single that just eluded a diving McKenzie Long, but Koons lined out to Sarah Gutknecht at third, who quickly fired across the infield and doubled Chow off first. Hailey Froton then grounded out to second, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the second, the Aggies got a one-out walk by Nicole Arata and she moved to second on a long single to right center by Brina Buttacavoli. Kaff walked Kirstyn Namba to load the bases with one out, as Megan Rhead came to the plate. An infield error allowed Clarke to reach safely, scoring Namba from third for a 1-0 Utah State lead. Kaff got Chow on an infield ground ball to end the inning, limiting the damage to just one run.
Jacquie Reiser was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the third, and was moved to second by a nice bunt by Lindsey Besson. Alyssa McBride followed with a single up the middle to put runners on the corners with one out for the top of the lineup. Lea Foerster's sacrifice fly to left scored Reiser, and McKinzie Freimuth's first-pitch swing put a single into right, scoring McBride from second for a 2-1 MSU lead. ¬
After Kaff took down the side in order in the bottom of the third, MSU stranded a pair in the top of the fourth, as Shanin Thomas led off and was hit by a pitch and McKenzie Long hit a little one-out bloop single up the left-field line. However, MSU could not capitalize, and sent Kaff back out for the bottom of the frame. It took her six pitches to retire the side, as she got to fly ball outs to right and a comebacker to the circle to move to the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, a single up the middle for Sarah Vasquz led off the inning, and a two-out walk to pinch hitter Jolene Koons put two on for Froton. Kaff got her to fly out to keep the Aggies off the board for the fourth straight inning.
MSU stranded one in the top of the sixth, still clinging to the 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Arata singled, and moved to second when Namba was hit by a pitch to put two on with two outs. Rhead smacked a double to right center, plating two runs to give the Aggies back the lead, 3-2. With Rhead on third, Amburlyn Orozco worked a full count, fouled off five more pitches, then flew out to McBride in left to end the inning and halt the USU rally.
The Spartans went down in order in the seventh, securing the win for the Aggies. Utah State has now posted wins over two Big Ten teams this season as they beat Indiana in the opening weekend.
Michigan State heads to Miami next weekend to participate in the Florida International tournament, taking on Ole Miss, Bethune-Cookman, and the host Panthers.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JOHNSON, Noelle (2-4)
L: Kaff, Valerie (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: Foerster, Lea 1 ; Freimuth, McKinzie 1
SH: Besson, Lindsey 1
SF: Foerster, Lea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reiser, Jacquie 1 ; McBride, Alyssa 1
SB: McBride, Alyssa 1
HBP: Thomas, Shanin 1 ; Reiser, Jacquie 1
Batting:
2B: JOHNSON, Noelle 1
RBI: JOHNSON, Noelle 2 ; OROZCO, Amburlyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ARATA, Nicole 2 ; NAMBA, Kirstyn 1
HBP: NAMBA, Kirstyn 1
