Michigan State University
2-0
Troy
1-2
Spartans Jump Out Early, Down Troy 9-4
2/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MSU-Troy Photo Gallery | PDF Box Score: MSU 9, Troy 4 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State improved to 2-0 with a 9-4 victory over Troy on Saturday morning at the FAU Kickoff Classic. Freshman Jordan Watson got the ball for her first collegiate start, tossing five innings of one-hit ball, striking out one and walking one.
The Spartan bats were active for the second day in a row, finishing with 14 hits, five of which went for extra bases. Lea Foerster had a double and a home run, one of five players with two hits on the day. Kaitlyn Eveland and Ebonee Echols each went 2-for-4, while freshmen Kelcey Carrasco and Melanie Baccay each posted a pair of hits as well.
MSU is back in action on Saturday afternoon in a 1:30 start vs. NC State.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Lea Foerster homered, had a double, walked once and scored three runs, posting a pair of RBI.
- Kaitlyn Eveland and Ebonee Echols each went 2-for-4, while freshmen Kelcey Carrasco and Melanie Baccay went 2-for-3.
- Freshman pitcher Jordan Watson allowed one hit and walked one in five innings, recording one strikeout.
- Celeste Wood had three RBI on a sac fly and triple, and also came on in relief in the circle for the second straight day. Sheand surrendered three hits and three runs, striking out one.
QUOTABLE:
"We started off very strong today, which was a nice way to start off a doubleheader. I like that we've put together a couple of really, really strong offensive games and that our pitchers did a nice job of recovery when they got into trouble. For Jordan Watson, that's a very, very strong first collegiate outing. We'll have a break here before our second game of the day, but continuing this momentum is what we'll look for as we take the field later today against NC State."
- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph
STATS AND STORYLINES
- The Spartans picked up right where they left off offensively on Friday, as Lea Foerster land Sarah Gutknecht each had doubles and Celeste Wood added her third sac fly of the weekend as MSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
- The offensive attack continued into the second, as a two-run triple by Wood pushed the Spartan lead to 5-0. In the bottom half of the inning, the Trojans posted their first run of the game, after a walk and a double to left center to make it 5-1.
- A single, stolen base, and RBI double by Lexi White gave MSU a sixth run in the top of the fifth. Melanie Baccay singled to center and Foerster walked to load the bases with one out, and a sac fly by McKenzie Long plated White for a 7-1 advantage.
- Wood moved into the circle to pitch in the bottom of the sixth, spelling Watson. The freshman went five complete innings in her first collegiate action, allowing just one hit and striking out one. Wood got a quick comebacker for the first out of the inning, but then surrendered back-to-back hits before a wild pitch plated a run to make it a 7-2 game.
- Lea Foerster hit her first home run of the season in the top of the seventh, a two-run shot over the right field wall that made it 9-2.
- The Trojans lstaged a late rally in the bottom of the frame. Stephanie Snyder and Kaylee Hussey started it off with back-to-back singles, and an infield error that allowed pinch runner Grace Mirly to score from second. With the bases loaded and no outs, a fielder's choice brought home a second Troy run in the inning, but Wood got out of the jam without any further damage.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Watson, Jordan (1-0)
L: Graves, Claire (0-0)
Batting:
2B: Foerster, Lea 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; White, Lexi 1
3B: Wood, Celeste 1
HR: Foerster, Lea 1
RBI: Foerster, Lea 2 ; Long, McKenzie 1 ; Wood, Celeste 3 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; White, Lexi 1
SH: Carrasco, Kelcey 1
SF: Long, McKenzie 1 ; Wood, Celeste 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Foerster, Lea 3 ; Long, McKenzie 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1 ; White, Lexi 1 ; Baccay, Melanie 2
SB: Long, McKenzie 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1
CS: Echols, Ebonee 1
Batting:
2B: Snyder, Stephanie 1
RBI: Davis, Erica 1 ; Snyder, Stephanie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hartley, Becca 1 ; Webb, Katie 1 ; Mirly, Grace 1 ; Gray, Jordan 1
HBP: Echols, Brooke 1
