Spartans Down Bradley, 7-5, in Extras

March 8, 2015

Orlando, Florida -- Michigan State rallied from a one-run deficit in the seventh inning and scored twice in the eighth to down Bradley for the second straight day, 7-5 in extra innings. Lea Foerster and McKinzie Freimuth each had a pair of hits, while Kristina Zalewski went 6.2 innings in relief, striking out five and scattering six hits. The Spartans matched their win total from 2014 with their 12th win of the season, and won their second straight game in extra innings.

It was the second time in as many games vs. Bradley that MSU won in their final at-bat, as MSU downed the Braves 4-3 on Saturday on a walkoff hit by Freimuth.

The Spartans threatened early, with a pair of runners in the first and a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the second. In that frame, Destinee Luna led off with a walk, and was sacrificed to second by Jacquie Reiser. Pitcher Jaelen Hull then hit Lindsey Besson and walked Alyssa McBride to load the bases without the Spartans registering a hit. Lea Foerster worked Hull to a full count, then dropped a bloop single into shallow left to score Luna and Besson, and McKinzie Freimuth followed with a stand-up double to send McBride home for a 3-0 lead. That chased Hull from the game, as the Braves went to Dani Cowan in relief, bringing her in with two on and just one out. Shanin Thomas hit a sacrifice to second, bringing Foerster home for a 4-0 lead.

Bradley cut into the lead right away as Kendall Duffy and Lexi Cremeens both were walked around a Kathryn Spenn single, loading the bases with just one out. Brittany Burgess smacked a standup triple into deep left-center over the infielders, who were playing shallow, and cut the lead to 4-3. Kelly Cap hit a single up the middle to score Burgess, knotting the score at four. Elizabeth Leonard hit a chopper for an infield single, and Bradley executed a double steal to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Maria Schroeder. Schroeder was called out for interference, and she got Erika Hansen looking at a called strike three to end the inning.

Both teams went down in order in the third, and MSU tried to get something going in the fourth as Foerster laced a single to right just over the glove of the leaping second baseman. Foerster stole second during a eight-pitch at bat for Freimuth, who struck out swinging to end the inning.

Cremeens led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit up the middle, and was replaced by pinch runner. Burgess laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Morales to second, and she moved to third with a single through the right side by Kapp to put runners on the corners with one out. Kapp stole second, and Leonard followed with a single to center to bring home Morales. An infield single by Schroeder advanced the runners to second and third with one out. Zalewski got Hansen to pop up to second for the second out, and King grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Spartans got a runner to third after a walk to pinch hitter Sydney Heath in the top of the sixth, but couldn't get her home with the tying run. In the bottom of the sixth, Burgess led off with a high chopper to short that found her safe at first, and two batters later a bunt by Leonard moved her to second. Zalewski got Schroeder to go down swinging, the runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. She walked Hansen to load the bases; King lined out to Luna at second, ending the Braves threat and allowing Zalewski to work out of the jam.

With the game on the line, Foerster walked to lead off the seventh, and after Freimuth struck out, pinchi hitter McKenzie Long also drew a walk. Kujawa's sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position for Gutknecht, who smacked a ground ball to short that was mishandled for an error, allowing Foerster to score and knot the game at 5-5. Luna battled through an 11-pitch at-bat in an effort to keep the inning alive, but she lined out to left to end the inning.

Zalewski got a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to second to make quick work of Bradley in the bottom of the seventh, sending the Spartans to extra innings for the third time this season. Reiser laid down a beautiful bunt just inches in front of the plate to put runners on the corners after Luna was placed on second. Reiser stole second on the first pitch to Lindsey Besson, who ended up being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alyssa McBride's sac fly to center brought home Luna and advanced the runners, giving MSU a 6-5 lead, at which point the Braves went to the bullpen for their third pitcher of the day, Aly Spinas-Valainis. Foerster's ground ball to second plated Reiser, and Spinas-Valainis hit Freimuth to add a second runner. Long was out on a close call at first on a ground ball to second base, ending the inning - but not before the Spartans regained the lead. Zalewski retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning, securing the Spartans' second straight win.

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Team Stats

Lea Foerster

McKinzie Freimuth

Jacquie Reiser

Shanin Thomas

Players Mentioned

Lindsey Besson

Lea Foerster

McKinzie Freimuth

Sydney Heath

McKenzie Long

Destinee Luna

Alyssa McBride

Jacquie Reiser

Shanin Thomas

Kristina Zalewski