Besson's Late Homer Sinks FGCU

Friday, February 12

Ft. Myers, Florida

8:15 PM

Michigan State University

2-0

Florida Gulf Coast

0-2

Michigan State

FGCU

2/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 13, 2016

Box Score

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
A two-run home run in the top of the sixth by catcher Lindsey Besson was the game-winning hit for MSU, as the Spartans (2-0) downed Florida Gulf Coast University, 2-1 late on Friday night in Fort Myers, Fla. Besson was 2-2 in the nightcap, while Sarah Gutknecht was 2-for-3.

The long ball was the winning formula for the Spartans in both games on Friday, as MSU got a two-run walkoff home run from McKenzie Long in a 3-2 first game victory against Middle Tennessee.

The game was a scoreless tie until the sixth inning. Kristina Zalewski pitched a complete game for the Spartans, recording eight strikeouts and scattering five hits. Ashley Dobson went 5 2/3 innings for the hosts (0-2), surrendering eight hits and Besson's homer. Gabbee Drainey finished the final 1.1 innings, getting one strikeout and not giving up a hit.

The game, which was scheduled to start at 8:15 pm, started just after 10:30pm and finished at 12:50 am. MSU has the final two games on the schedule again on Saturday, at 6 pm (vs. Illinois-Chicago) and 8:15 pm vs. Kent State.

QUOTABLE
"I thought that we were very strong in the circle both games today, and the couple of mistakes that we made defensively, we made up for it right away and got back on track. Offensively we have to be better with getting runners across the plate. In both games today, we left too many runs on the basepaths. We'll look for some improvements there for sure, but a pair of one-run wins also shows me something about our team out of the gate. We're already looking forward to getting out on the field tomorrow."

-- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph

TOP PERFORMERS

Kristina Zalewski was impressive in her first start of the season, recording eight strikeouts and tossing a complete seven innings.
Lindsey Besson hit a two-run, two-out homer in the top of the sixth. She also had a eight putouts.
Sarah Gutknecht went 2-for-3, and had a team-best nine putouts at first.

STATS AND STORYLINES

The Spartans left four runners over the first two innings, and a total of eight in the game. FGCU stranded six.
Gutknecht threw out the go-ahead run at the plate to end the third inning to preserve a scoreless tie, then led off the fourth with a hard single up the middle for her first hit of the season.
With two outs in the top of the sixth, MSU staged its winning rally. Gutknecht led it off with a standup double off the glove of the third baseman; Besson followed that with a two-run shot to left to give MSU a 2-0 lead. Celeste Wood stepped in as a pinch hitter and got her first collegiate base hit, a single to left. Destinee Luna followed with MSU's fourth consecutive two-out baseknock, a single to right that sent Wood to third. After FGCU brought Gabbee Drainey in to relieve Ashley Dobson, and she retired Kaitlyn Eveland to get out of the inning.
FGCU's Louie Ross led off the sixth with a triple into the right field corner, and scored after Brittany McGuire grounded out to first. Zalewski worked out of the inning without any further damage.
Besson's home run was her first since April 2, 2014 vs. Notre Dame. She missed most of the 2015 season to injury.
Besson had her 8th career two-hit game, and first since April 20, 2014 at Iowa.
Zalewki's eight strikeouts was two short of her career best of 10.