Spartans Survive Late Surge from UIC, 4-3

Saturday, February 13

Ft. Myers, Florida

6:00 PM

Michigan State University

4-0

Illinois-Chicago

1-3

Michigan State

Illinois-Chicago

2/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 14, 2016

Box Score

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
MSU captured its third-straight one-run victory, a 4-3 decision over Illinois-Chicago in its third game at the FGCU Kickoff Classic. Kristina Zalewski worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn her first save of the season.

An RBI single by Ebonee Echols provided MSU an insurance run in the top of the seventh, plating Celeste Wood for a 4-1 lead. That run proved critical, as UIC rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame before Zalewski got a big groundout to short to strand three runners.

QUOTABLE
"It's a win, but I really want to see more urgency in our game. We need to be more aggressive in all phases. I was happy for Celeste [Wood] and Ebonee [Echols} - they came up with some big, timely hits that won the game for us. We need to tighten these things up before we really suffer from it down the road.."

-- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph

TOP PERFORMERS

Bridgette Rainey went 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out four. Kristina Zalewski relieved Rainey, recording three strikeouts and working out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh.

Celeste Wood went 2-2 with a pair of RBI, and she also scored the final two runs of the game.

Freshman Ebonee Echols came up with her first collegiate hit, an RBI pinch hit single in the fifth inning. She added another RBI single in the seventh, and finished the game with a pair of stolen bases as well.

STATS AND STORYLINES

MSU got on the board first when Gutknecht led off the second inning with a walk; and advanced to second then third on groundouts. Davis also drew a walk, and Celeste Wood brought both in with a triple to right center for the 2-0 lead.

Wood led off the fifth with a single to center, and then was sacrificed to second by Foerster. With two outs on the board, Ebonee Echols came in to pinch hit for Kassidy Kujawa, and delivered a single to right to plate her classmate. Shanin Thomas was hit by a pitch to put a second runner on, but Gutknecht grounded out to end the inning.

The Flames challenged in the fifth, as Dana Capocci walked to lead off and Mitchell legged out a one-out infield single to put a pair of runners on base. A single up the middle plated Capocci to make it a 3-1 game,

UIC threatened again in the sixth, but Zalewski overcame a walk and a bunt single with a popout and strikeout to end the inning.

The Spartans added a run in the top of the seventh. Wood led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to second on a passed ball. On a one-out sac bunt, McKenzie Long got Wood to third, and Echols legged out an infield single for her second RBI of the night and a 4-1 MSU lead.

The Flames made a serious charge in their final at-bat. Zalewki issued a one-out walk to Taylor Cairns, and then Lexi Watts reached on a throwing error. Laura Swan stepped in and reached on a fielder's choice, as the throw to third to try to nab Cairns arrived late to load the bases. Tiana Macck-Miller delivered a two-run single to right to score a pair of runs, leaving runners on the corners for Skylee James. Zalewski got James to strike out swinging for the second out, but then hit Savannah Soppet to load the bases. After a mound discussion, Zalewski got Capocci to ground out to short to end the game.