Michigan State University
13-10
Georgia
22-3
No. 10 Georgia Snaps Spartan Winning Streak, 5-0
3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State's three-game winning streak came to an end with a 5-0 loss to No. 10 Georgia (22-3) on Saturday evening at the College of Charleston. Kristina Zalewski struck out a season-best nine batters, scattering nine hits in her complete game effort.
Georgia pitcher Chelsea Wilkinson improved to 11-1 on the season with tonight's a one-hitter, despite hitting two batters and walking one.
Michigan State (13-10) concludes the Holy City Showdown at College of Charleston on Sunday with a game against the host Cougars at 1 p.m.
QUOTABLE
"Georgia is the No. 10 team in the country, and we lost to a better team. We can't get discouraged, though, after a game like this - because we're really starting to see just how far we've come - we have gotten better week to week. We play games like this to see how we can stack up - and it's how we're going to get better. Sure, I'm disappointed that we didn't do more offensively and give Kristina Zalewski some runs against Georgia - but four of our pitchers got work today, including Valerie Kaff who at one point we thought we may not have at all this season."
- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph
TOP PERFORMERS
- Kassidy Kujawa was 1-for-3, securing MSU's lone hit.
- Kristina Zalewski scattered nine hits and struck out nine, which tied her season high. She also walked seven and all five runs were earned.
STATS AND STORYLINES
- A leadoff double by Alyssa Diarlo was followed by a two-run homer to dead center by UGA catcher Maeve McGuire for a 2-0 Georgia lead in the bottom of the second. After the homer, Zalewski walked the next batter but rebounded with a strikeout and a fielder's choice, to leave one on with two out. Back-to-back bunt singles loaded the bases for the Bulldogs, and Zalewski lost Tina Iosefa to walk in a third run of the inning. She came back strong, striking out cleanup hitter Kaylee Puailoa to get out of the inning with the bases loaded.
- The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the top of the fifth, as Iosefa singled up the left field line, and Alyssa DiCarlo walked after Zalewski got a strikout of Puailoa. Lacey Summerlin reached on an error, loading the bases for Brea Dickey. Zalewski got Dickey to line out to Echols at short, leaving the bases loaded in getting out of the jam.
- In the sixth, a leadoff walk and fielder's choice put Cortni Emanuel on first base, and after a pair of wild pitches that allowed Emanuel to move to third, Alex Hugo drew a walk to leave runners at the corners for Iosefa. She connected on a 0-1 pitch to send a double into the gap in right center, plating two runs for a 5-0 lead.
- The second-inning home run by Maeve McGuire was the first round-tripper surrendered by Zalewski this season in 66 innings of work.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilkinson, Chelsea (11-1)
L: Zalewski, Kristina (5-6)
Batting:
2B: Hugo, Alex 1 ; Iosefa, Tina 1 ; DiCarlo, Alyssa 1
HR: McGuire, Maeve 1
RBI: Iosefa, Tina 3 ; McGuire, Maeve 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Emanuel, Cortni 1 ; Hugo, Alex 1 ; DiCarlo, Alyssa 1 ; McGuire, Maeve 1 ; LaZear, Samantha 1
Batting:
SH: Echols, Ebonee 1
Base Running:
HBP: Foerster, Lea 1 ; Luna, Destinee 1
